What if your cholesterol is 300

While you may assume that cholesterol levels have blossomed along with the obesity epidemic, cholesterol has in fact dropped.

Elevated cholesterol, which was unrecognized as a serious health problem 50 years ago, is dropping mainly because of more awareness of its dangers, which has resulted in healthier diets , more cholesterol screening, and the widespread use of statin medications.

Take our quiz. Doctors generally recommend exercise as a lifestyle change that can help lower cholesterol naturally. But a recent study in the Journal of Lipid Research suggests that exercise may affect cholesterol differently, depending on the patient's race and gender. Among the study participants, who were followed over nine years, physical activity equivalent to an extra hour of mild exercise or half hour of moderate exercise per week was associated with an increase in high-density lipoprotein HDL , or good cholesterol, in each of the groups the researchers studied.

But LDL, the bad cholesterol, dropped only in women, and total cholesterol dropped only in African-American women. Watch out for cholesterol-free food. Cholesterol is made by the liver of animals, and it will only be found in animal-based foods, such as meat, milk, and eggs. Certain products can honestly state that they have little or no cholesterol -- however, that doesn't mean they are good for your cholesterol levels.

Many fried foods and commercial baked goods contain cholesterol-raising trans fats, most commonly in the form of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. According to the National Human Genome Research Institute , most adults with this condition have total cholesterol levels above milligrams per deciliter and LDL levels above milligrams per deciliter.

Other health conditions, such as diabetes and hypothyroidism , may also increase your risk of developing high cholesterol and related complications. If your levels of LDL cholesterol are too high, it can build up on the walls of your arteries. This buildup is also known as cholesterol plaque. This plaque can narrow your arteries, limit your blood flow, and raise your risk of blood clots. If a blood clot blocks an artery in your heart or brain, it can cause a heart attack or stroke.

This helps prevent cholesterol plaque from building up in your arteries. When you have healthy levels of HDL cholesterol, it can help lower your risk of blood clots, heart disease, and stroke. Triglycerides are another type of lipid. While your body uses cholesterol to build cells and certain hormones, it uses triglycerides as a source of energy. When you eat more calories than your body can use right away, it converts those calories into triglycerides.

It stores triglycerides in your fat cells. It also uses lipoproteins to circulate triglycerides through your bloodstream. If you regularly eat more calories than your body can use, your triglyceride levels may become too high. This can raise your risk of several health problems, including heart disease and stroke. Your doctor can use a simple blood test to measure your triglyceride level, as well as your cholesterol levels. If you have a history of high cholesterol or other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, your doctor may encourage you to get your cholesterol levels tested more often.

Your doctor can use a lipid panel to measure your total cholesterol level, as well your LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Your total cholesterol level is the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood. If your levels of total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol are too high, your doctor may diagnose you with high cholesterol.

If your doctor does prescribe you medication, different factors may influence the type of medication they recommend. With this in mind, most physicians use generalized measurements to decide on treatment plans. They may categorize these measurements as desirable, borderline high, or high cholesterol. According to the National Library of Medicine , the total cholesterol of most adults can be categorized as:.

Again, these measurements are general. You and your doctor will consider other personal factors before deciding on a treatment plan. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly, including some LDL. But if your LDL levels are too high, it can raise your risk of serious health problems. In , the American College of Cardiologists and the American Heart Association updated their recommendations for the treatment of high cholesterol.

In most cases it only causes emergency events. For instance, a heart attack or stroke can result from the damage caused by high cholesterol. Plaque can narrow arteries so less blood can pass through. The formation of plaque changes the makeup of your arterial lining. This could lead to serious complications. A blood test is the only way to know if your cholesterol is too high. Ask your doctor to give you a cholesterol test after you turn 20 years old. Then get your cholesterol rechecked every 4 to 6 years.

Your doctor may also suggest you have your cholesterol checked more frequently if you have a family history of high cholesterol. Or if you demonstrate the following risk factors:. There is a condition passed through genes that causes high cholesterol called familial hypercholesterolemia.

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Symptoms of heart disease may be different for men and women. However, heart disease remains the number one killer of both sexes in the United States. The most common symptoms include:.

The buildup of plaque caused by high cholesterol can put you at serious risk of having the blood supply to an important part of your brain reduced or cut off. This is what happens when a stroke occurs. A stroke is a medical emergency. These symptoms include:. But, if you've made these important lifestyle changes and your cholesterol levels remain high, your doctor might recommend medication. The choice of medication or combination of medications depends on various factors, including your personal risk factors, your age, your health and possible drug side effects.

Common choices include:. Tolerance of medications varies from person to person. The common side effects of statins are muscle pains and muscle damage, reversible memory loss and confusion, and elevated blood sugar. If you decide to take cholesterol medication, your doctor might recommend liver function tests to monitor the medication's effect on your liver. Diet and exercise are the best initial treatment for children age 2 and older who have high cholesterol or who are obese. Children age 10 and older who have extremely high cholesterol levels might be prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins.

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition. If you're an adult who hasn't had regular cholesterol level checks, make an appointment with your doctor. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance. For a cholesterol test, you'll likely have to avoid eating or drinking anything other than water for nine to 12 hours before the blood sample is taken. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis A blood test to check cholesterol levels — called a lipid panel or lipid profile — typically reports: Total cholesterol LDL cholesterol HDL cholesterol Triglycerides — a type of fat in the blood. More Information Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?

Cholesterol ratio or non-HDL cholesterol: Which is most important?