Font Size
A
A
A

High Cholesterol (cont.)

High Cholesterol Causes

Several drugs and diseases can bring about high cholesterol, but, for most people, a high-fat diet and inherited risk factors may be the main causes. Your doctor will rule out the possibility that you have an underactive thyroid or kidney or liver disease.

  • Heredity: Your genes influence how high your LDL (bad) cholesterol is by affecting how fast LDL is made and removed from the blood. One specific form of inherited high cholesterol that affects 1 in 500 people is called familial hypercholesterolemia, which often leads to early heart disease. But even if you do not have a specific genetic form of high cholesterol, genes play a role in influencing your LDL cholesterol level.
  • Weight: Excess weight may modestly increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol level. If you are overweight and have a high LDL cholesterol level, losing weight may help you lower it. Weight loss especially helps to lower triglycerides and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
  • Physical activity/exercise: Regular physical activity may lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol levels.
  • Age and sex: Before menopause, women usually have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. As women and men age, their blood cholesterol levels rise until about 60-65 years of age. After about age 50 years, women often have higher total cholesterol levels than men of the same age.
  • Alcohol use: Moderate (1-2 drinks daily) alcohol intake increases HDL (good) cholesterol but does not lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Doctors don't know for certain whether alcohol also reduces the risk of heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver and heart muscle, lead to high blood pressure, and raise triglyceride levels. Because of the risks, alcoholic beverages should not be used as a way to prevent heart disease.
  • Mental stress: Several studies have shown that stress raises blood cholesterol levels over the long term. One way that stress may do this is by affecting your habits. For example, when some people are under stress, they console themselves by eating fatty foods. The saturated fat and cholesterol in these foods contribute to higher levels of blood cholesterol.


Next: High Cholesterol Symptoms »

Viewer Comments & Reviews

High Cholesterol - Effective Treatments

The eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:

What treatment has been effective for your high cholesterol?

Anonymously share your comment to help others. Viewer Comments FAQs
Be the first to submit a comment

Submit Your Review


Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend

Cholesterol Management

Tips to keep it under control.

Are You Depressed? Take the Quiz


Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

High HDL Cholesterol (Hyperalphalipoproteinemia) »

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is positively associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD).

Read More on eMedicine »

Medical Dictionary