Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
What Is High LDL?
LDL is a lipoproteina fat-like substance that carries cholesterol to cells.
Optimal LDL cholesterol levels are below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
When you have too much LDL cholesterol in your blood, it can build up and clog arteries.
High LDL cholesterol has no warning signs or symptoms.
The first sign can be a blood clot, heart attack, or stroke.
That’s why it’s important to regularly have your cholesterol levels tested.
The higher your LDL level, the more important it is to take steps to lower it.
People with diagnosed cardiovascular disease should aim for an LDL level below 70 mg/dL.
What Can Cause High LDL?
Several factors can raise your LDL cholesterol.
Unhealthy Diet
What you eat can have a big impact on your LDL levels.
In particular, two types of fatsaturated fat and trans fatscan cause high LDL cholesterol.
These are fats that are solid at room temperature.
Read labels, as these can be in surprising places.
For example, eating unsaturated fats can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels while raising HDL.
Despite its flaws, the most commonly used measure to evaluate weight is thebody mass index (BMI).
It uses weight and height to estimate body fat.
The resulting number is then used to categorize people as:
BMI is not perfect.
BMI calculations may, for example, overestimate body fat in athletes or older people.
Even so, higher BMI scores should be addressed.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure.
It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Lack of Physical Exercise
Low physical activity can also drive LDL higher.
Even modest increases in exercise can help a great deal.
At a bare minimum, most guidelines recommend that adults get 2.5 hours of moderate exercise every week.
If youre not a smoker, take a stab at avoid second-hand smoke.
Want to Quit?
Age and Sex
Your age and sex can also have a significant influence on LDL levels.
As people age, it usually rises.
Menopause can also raise your risk of high LDL cholesterol.More frequent LDL monitoring is recommended when you’re post-menopausal.
In FH, a gene that’s essential for clearing LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream malfunctions.
That’s due to faulty receptor proteins.
Ethnicity
According to a growing body of research, ethnicity is a factor in high cholesterol levels.
The following classes of drugs can raise LDL levels.
Heart Disease and Blood Pressure Drugs
Drugs for heart conditions and high blood pressure can increase LDL levels.
That makes managing your cholesterol levels both harder and more important.
Classes of drugs that do this include:
Steroids
These powerful anti-inflammatory medications can boost your cholesterol.
Some factors that raise LDL levels cannot be changed, such as age, ethnicity, and genetics.
However, other factors are modifiable and can help you treat high LDL.
These include lifestyle habits like diet, exercise, and smoking.
Changing these factors is usually the first step toward lowering LDL.
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U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Facts about trans fats.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.High cholesterol facts.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing high cholesterol.
National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Assessing your weight and health risk.
2016;6(3):339-346. doi:10.1007/s13142-015-0353-9
Cleveland Clinic.10 tips for lower cholesterol.
Cleveland Clinic.Dangers of secondhand smoke: risks and prevention.
2014;3:000 e000851 doi: 10.1161/JAHA.114.000851
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