Causes Of High Cholesterol In Women, Here's The Study Findings

Illustration of the causes of high cholesterol in women (Unsplash/Ani Kolleshi)

JAKARTA – High cholesterol is a health risk. It turns out that many studies that examine normal cholesterol levels in the body are based on sex. And based on study findings, women are more at risk of developing high cholesterol than men.

According to Erin Michos, MD., associate director of preventive cardiology at the Ciccarone Center for Heart Disease Prevention, a seemingly healthy diet can actually contribute to an increase in saturated fat and glucose in the body. Reported by the John Hopkins Medicine page, John Hopkins University, many women are affected by high cholesterol and do not realize it.

According to a survey conducted by the American Heart Association, as many as 76 percent of women said that they did not know the level of cholesterol in their body. In fact, according to Michos, as many as 45 percent of women over the age of 20 years have an average total cholesterol of 200 mg/dl.

Even more frightening, cholesterol is usually associated with triglycerides which are even more risky in women than men. This means knowing the amount of cholesterol in your body and how to control it is a big step towards staying healthy.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in every cell of the body. The body needs cholesterol to produce important steroid hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is also used to make bile acids in the liver, which absorbs fat during digestion.

Well, good cholesterol is necessary, but bad cholesterol is something that needs to be removed. Excess bad cholesterol (LDL) in the bloodstream can be deposited in the arteries, causing plaque, and causing atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. It is a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, and other vascular problems.

According to Michos, the ideal LDL cholesterol level should be less than 70 mb/dl, and in women the ideal HDL level should be close to 50 mg/dl. While triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl. According to Michos records, total cholesterol levels that are well below 200 mg/dl are the best.

Michos also explained that women generally have higher HDL cholesterol levels than men. This is influenced by the hormone estrogen which can increase good cholesterol.

However, the condition of estrogen will change after entering menopause. At this point, cholesterol levels in women will reverse, LDL more easily rise and HDL fall. During the fertile period, it turns out that cholesterol levels in women tend to be good. However, this calculation excludes genetic and lifestyle factors which also play a major role in influencing the high and low cholesterol levels in women.

To keep cholesterol normal, Michos advice, a healthy diet and lifestyle is very important. By reducing smoking, exercising at least 30 minutes every week, eating fruit, vegetables, lean protein, nuts, fiber, and avoiding sugary drinks can at least help prevent high cholesterol levels in women.

It should be understood that the characteristics of high cholesterol in women cannot be generally identified. Except with a blood test so that you know the exact size.