It is not the first time that you might have heard of the correlation between cholesterol and heart disease. With the roaring and trending awareness surrounding heart disease and the preventive measures for them, it is mandatory one knows about the current status of how excess cholesterol in the body actually does play a very crucial role in the induction of various heart diseases.
But, how does the same effect the heart is what every single person wants to know about? While cholesterol in controlled quantities is necessary, the same when it crosses the lines of caution becomes quite dangerous for the body, especially the heart.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fat-like compound which is predominantly witnessed in the bloodstream of people and is transported to the liver with the aid of high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein. This is the compound that is solely responsible for the development and building of new cells, insulation of the nerves and even in the production of hormones.
It is the liver in our body which is responsible for the production of cholesterol but the same is also even gotten in-situ via several varieties of food, be it from meat or even from other forms of eatables. These are the variants of cholesterol that, when in excess amount, are harmful to the body and poses risks of heart disease.
What are the common symptoms of high cholesterol?
Detecting higher levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream is an indication that either your liver is malfunctioning or the levels of low-density lipoproteins have outnumbered the high-density lipoproteins.
Because of the fact that there is no physical symptom associated with higher levels of cholesterol in the body, it is often quite hard to detect the problem right off the bat. This is the reason why timely updates about the same are necessary. It is best to get the same tested out every once in a while to see for yourself whether or not the same is going to end up negatively influencing your body.
What does the field of research suggest?
While the majority of people, for the most part, have just stuck to thinking of the common grounds of the relation between the rising levels of cholesterol with the heightened risks of heart problems, recent studies and researches tend to claim something a bit different and state that the complexity behind the same runs way deeper than that.
A new research published back in 2016 studies the correlation between the levels of LDL and its effects on cholesterol levels. While this study has a lot of limitations to it, it does state a bit more about the relation between the two into a better perspective.
What are the general risks of heart disease?
Before we jump into talking about how cholesterol plays a crucial role in elevating the risks of heart diseases, it is necessary to understand the generalized severity concerning the same. Some of the risks of heart diseases include:
- High levels of blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Hereditary
- Obesity and being overweight
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Unhealthy diet
- Smoking
Now, these are the common terms of reasons behind the heightened risks of heart disease and you will be shocked to know that more or less every single factor, for the most part, is influenced by the levels of cholesterol in the body.
How do high levels of cholesterol affect the heart?
Now is the moment of truth. You might be here sitting being confused as to how does a fat-like a molecule impose heart risks, right? Well, that is exactly what we are here to clear up for you.
Blockage
Because of the fact that the cholesterol molecules are fat like, it is general knowledge that these are hydrophobic and don’t just dissolve it with water or anything and freely float around the bloodstream if it doesn’t reach its destination which is the liver.
These big and complex molecules, when excess in the bloodstream, can even end up causing blockages in the artery, thereby preventing the easy flow of blood to the heart and other parts of the body, thereby disrupting the overall blood circulation of the body.
Not just that, these cholesterol molecules, often even just end up building up inside the arterial walls, constantly building up to block the artery and preventing the flow of blood to and from. this condition is known as atherosclerosis and is one of the most common causes and reasons behind heart diseases. The arteries tend to narrow down because of the deposition which is what ends up obstructing the blood flow.
Hypertension
Now after mentioning the term, atherosclerosis, it is mandatory one mentions about hypertension. When the arteries are narrowed down and there is an obstructed flow of blood, the same often times contribute to high blood pressure which is quite fatal for the heart.
The blood carries oxygen to the heart and if the necessary amount of oxygen is not supplied, there are chances that the heart will stop functioning like normal and start getting affected negatively. If this is something that persists over a long period of time, the same as the capability of rendering into one of the most common heart problems – cardiac arrest or even heart attack.
How to prevent the excess cholesterol in the body?
As mentioned before, cholesterol is necessary for the body, it is the excess of it which ends up negatively impacting the body. If you are suffering from something similar, it is time you take necessary actions to prevent it. Some of the effective preventive measures include:
- Adhering to a healthy diet
- Avoiding junk food and food that’s rich in Trans fat
- Leading an active life
- Indulging in physical activity like morning walks, gyming, yoga etc.
- Getting the cholesterol levels checked from time to time
Managing high cholesterol levels is possible and not something that can’t be reversed. It is important to bring them back to normal to ensure a healthy heart and an overall healthy well being of an individual.
Authored by Yaseen Girach from TheDealPot.com
