As we get older, our health becomes more and more important to us. We have to watch our weight or run the risk of dealing with heart disease or diabetes. With that, we must pay close attention to our cholesterol. High cholesterol can be a cause of diabetes and vice versa. There are helpful tips to help lower your cholesterol. There are several factors that could lead to you having high cholesterol. Below are 9 surprising causes of high cholesterol that you may not know about.
Stress
We all probably have heard terms about stress can kill you. Chronic stress causes several health problems, including high cholesterol. Research shows that it raises your risk for high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lowers levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol. That’s because stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, trigger changes that may lead to higher blood sugar and inflammation. Over time, this may cause your liver to pump out more cholesterol and blood fats called triglycerides.
Medication
We all have had it happen or know someone who’s on medication and it makes them feel worse. Some drugs may have an unexpected effect on your cholesterol. These include certain birth control pills, retinoids, corticosteroids, antivirals, and anticonvulsants. Some medicines for high blood pressure, such as diuretics and older forms of beta-blockers, can also raise your cholesterol. Talk to your doctor about any medications that you take. You may need a different dose or another drug altogether.
Thyroid Issues
My wife dealt with her thyroid causing a lot of issues with her body. Your body uses thyroid hormones to help remove the extra cholesterol that it doesn’t need. So, when you have an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, your levels of total and LDL cholesterol go up. Talk to your doctor if you have symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, dry skin, and muscle weakness and aches. A blood test can screen for the condition.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can cause high blood sugar. When there’s too much sugar, it may attach to proteins, such as cholesterol molecules. This makes cholesterol more harmful. For example, people with type 2 diabetes tend to have smaller, dense LDL particles, which raises the risk of heart disease. They also have lower amounts of protective HDL cholesterol. This cholesterol may not work as well to sweep away the “bad” cholesterol.
Not A lot of Moving
Sitting a lot or not moving at all is bad for your health. Whether it’s at your desk or on a couch, sitting for hours on end is bad for your health. It’s linked with obesity, heart disease, and high cholesterol. When you sit for too long, an enzyme that turns harmful LDL cholesterol into good HDL cholesterol drops by 95%. To protect your heart, take frequent breaks. Stand up at least every 30 minutes and, if you can, go for a 5-minute walk every hour.
Liver or Kidney Problems
Your liver makes, processes, and breaks down cholesterol. When your liver doesn’t work properly, it can affect your cholesterol levels. One of the most common conditions is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which happens when extra fat is stored in the liver. It affects nearly 1 in 4 adults. The more severe form is known as NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). It causes the liver to swell and scar, leading to liver cirrhosis. Cholesterol affects the way your kidneys work. Research shows that high cholesterol may harm kidney function and raise your risk of kidney disease. On the flip side, kidney problems may increase your cholesterol levels. Research shows that nephrotic syndrome, a type of kidney disorder, increases your LDL and total cholesterol levels. Chronic kidney disease also lowers your HDL levels.
Too Much Alcohol
Along with processing cholesterol, your liver also breaks down alcohol. So, when you drink too much, it can affect your cholesterol. One study found that men who drank heavily — roughly 4½ drinks or more at once — had worse cholesterol levels, compared to those who didn’t. This was true for those who binged only on occasion, too. If you drink, keep it moderate — no more than one drink a day for women and two for men.
Too Much Sugar
We all have heard about the dangers of having too much sugar in your diet. Saturated fat is often blamed as the main dietary cause of heart disease. But too much sugar is a culprit, too. A diet high in the sweet stuff causes your liver to make more LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and less HDL cholesterol. One study found that people who got 10% or more of their calories from added sugars were up to 3 times as likely to have low HDL levels, compared to those who got less than half that amount.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, your body uses cholesterol to help the fetus grow and develop. That’s why your cholesterol levels may rise to 50% in the second and third trimesters. They can stay elevated for about a month after birth. This temporary spike usually doesn’t harm the mom or baby. But if you already have high cholesterol, your doctor will want to keep track of your levels.
