In translation from ancient Greek the term "cholesterol" means "solid bile". Cholesterol is an organic polycyclic compound belonging to the class of fatty alcohols. It does not dissolve in water, like all fats. Approximately 80% of blood cholesterol (about 500 mg) is produced by the gonads, the liver (most), to a lesser extent - by the kidneys, intestines and adrenal glands. 20% comes from food. The name "cholesterol" is also found in the literature. Is there a difference between them? According to its physical properties, cholesterol is a crystal in a liquid state of aggregation. According to the chemical - it would be more correct to call it cholesterol. This name is used in foreign medical literature.
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Cholesterol circulates in human blood not in its pure form, but in combination with transporter proteins. Their combination is called lipoproteins. These transport proteins are divided intoseveral groups according to their functionality and serve to deliver cholesterol to organs and tissues:
- High molecular weight lipoproteins (abbreviated as HDL or HDL) have a high density, known as "good" cholesterol.
- Low molecular weight (abbreviated as LDL or LDL) - have a low density, are also an integral part of blood plasma and belong to the so-called bad cholesterol.
- Very low molecular weight, i.e. very low density (VLDL for short).
- Chylomicron is a class of proteins synthesized by the intestines as a result of the processing of exogenous lipids (a group of organic fats). These are organic fats that are microscopic in size - less than 1 micron.
The value of cholesterol for the body
Cholesterol is found in every cell of the body and takes part in the life cycles of the body. It is needed in the synthesis of sex steroids in the adrenal glands (estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, aldosterone, testosterone, etc.), as well as bile acids.
Without cholesterol, the work of the nervous system and immunity is impossible. Thanks to him, vitamin D is synthesized in the body, which affects the exchange of Ca and phosphorus. Cholesterol is also needed for normal metabolism and the functioning of internal organs. It isolates and protects nerve fibers, determines the integrity of cell membranes and their selective permeability. The body needs cholesterol, but not too much.
Cholesterol metabolism in the body
After absorption in the intestinal wall, cholesterol enters the bloodstream. LDL and VLDL are unfavorable for the body. Exactlythey settle on the walls of blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaques. They should be in the blood in minimal quantities. Their increase is a sign of pathology. Cholesterol is transferred to the tissues, and if there is too much of it, it begins to settle in the vessels. The problem of this subsidence is the narrowing of the lumen of the vessel and impaired blood circulation. The result is heart attacks, strokes.
When people talk about treating hypercholesterolemia, they mean LDL. Their level should not be higher than 5 mmol / l. After the age of 35, metabolic processes slow down, so at this age it is worth checking your cholesterol levels regularly.
High-density lipoproteins - elements containing "good" fats. They should not be less than 1.7 mmol / l. They play a protective role - they protect the vascular wall from damage and control the level of "bad" cholesterol.
The main task of HDL is the expulsion of bad cholesterol. This is due to the fact that they carry cholesterol from the organs to the liver, where it is destroyed. Therefore, cholesterol has a complex metabolism in the male body.
Reduced HDL levels indicate the possibility of atherosclerosis. No less dangerous is low cholesterol. People with this pathology are more likely than others to become depressed, they have more strokes and cancer. Therefore, a balance between cholesterol subgroups is needed for he alth.
Equally important in blood biochemistry is the level of triglycerides (TG). Their number should not exceed 2.0 mmol/l of blood in an adult male.
With age, this numberincreases. An indicator of more than 2.29 mmol / liter indicates the likelihood of coronary artery disease, pancreatitis, diabetes, hypertension. A decrease in triglycerides will indicate problems in the lungs and liver, poor nutrition.
At the age of 30 to 40, blood cholesterol increases, at the turn of 50, lipids level off.
Norm of blood cholesterol
The norm of cholesterol can fluctuate in general in the range of 3, 6-7, 8 mmol / l, but more often 3, 5-5. If the patient is young, then the upper level of the norm is no more than 6.4 mmol / l.
High cholesterol in men depends on age, general physical condition. But doctors believe that any cholesterol over 6 mmol / l is a risk to the body and is elevated.
Classification of blood cholesterol levels:
- Optimal - cholesterol is not higher than 5 mmol / l.
- Moderately or slightly elevated - ranging from 5 to 6 mmol/L.
- Dangerously elevated - above 6.5 mmol/L.
Norm of total cholesterol for men by age
Age also matters:
- up to 20 years the norm is 2, 91-5, 10 mmol/l;
- 20-25 years - 3, 16-5, 59;
- 25-30 years - 3, 44-6, 32 mmol/L;
- 35-40 years - 3.63-6.99 mmol/l;
- under 45 - 3, 91-6, 94;
- up to 55 - 4, 09-7, 15 mmol/l.
Then it changes a little. And over 70 years old, it is already 3, 73-7, 86.
The figures show that the level of OH increases with age. In other words, the causes in men (cholesterol is elevated in the blood of elderly patients are quiteoften) are directly related to age.
And even if a person carefully observes all the rules of a he althy lifestyle, it will still not be possible to avoid exceeding the norm. Nature provides for an age-related slowdown in metabolism.
Outlier detection method
Many doctors strongly recommend checking blood lipids annually after 25 years, and after 50 years - once every six months. With a genetic predisposition, you need to donate blood regularly.
For the reliability of the result, blood is taken strictly on an empty stomach and in the morning. It is also necessary not to drink alcohol, drugs - a day before the analysis, do not eat for 12 hours, do not smoke or drink for 6 hours, minimize the amount of stress.
The day before the test, it is necessary to abandon strong physical exertion, fatty and s alty foods - these may be the causes of high blood cholesterol in men. If atherosclerosis is detected, the analysis is ordered again.
Causes of hypercholesterolemia
Hypercholesterolemia is today an ordinary problem of the modern world. The causes of high cholesterol in men lie in their lifestyle in the first place. It is men who are special lovers of fatty and fried foods; owners of bad habits in the form of smoking and drinking alcohol.
More causes of high cholesterol in men are physical inactivity, stress, and an accelerated pace of life. This also includes the reluctance to go to the doctor to the last.
According to statistics, the direct causes of high cholesterol in men are:
- Wrong diet.
- Arterialhypertension.
- Inactivity and hypodynamia.
- Obesity.
- Age over 40.
- Diabetes of any type.
- Thyroid dysfunction.
- Cholelithiasis.
- Angina.
- Taking immunosuppressants.
Genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis is also one of the common causes of high cholesterol in men. Today, high cholesterol begins to manifest itself in men after 35 years.
Earlier it was noted only after 40. Why? The causes of high blood cholesterol in men began to be recorded more often because with the advent of new technologies, physical inactivity, overeating, alcohol abuse and stress are increasing. Some professions in themselves predispose to high cholesterol - these are office workers and drivers of all stripes.
As you can see, the main reason (blood cholesterol in men is increased much more often than in women) is an unhe althy lifestyle. The role of nutrition is also important: it is no secret that men tend to eat dry food, drink little water, eat little fruit, vegetables, herbs and fruits. But they abuse fast food, which has never brought he alth to anyone.
Signs and symptoms of hypercholesterolemia
Main signs of excess cholesterol:
- appearance of spots on the skin;
- yellowing of the skin around the eyes and the occurrence of xanthelasmas and xanthomas (white and yellowish dots under the skin are an accumulation of lipids);
- a gray rim appears around the cornea of the eye, vision suffers;
- may experience pain in the legs when walking or running;
- angina attacks (tachycardia, high blood pressure, dizziness, sweating);
- weight gain.
In addition to the above manifestations, men should pay attention to early gray hair. Also, an increase in cholesterol in men threatens to reduce potency. This occurs due to malnutrition of the organs by constricted vessels. Impaired blood circulation can lead to the following conditions:
- swelling and numbness in limbs;
- halitosis;
- dry mouth;
- heaviness in the stomach;
- blurred vision;
- constipation;
- weakness and fatigue.
All these signs are external, and internal are due to stenosis of the arteries, so they can be noted:
- vascular ruptures and strokes;
- plaques in vessels and narrowing of their lumen;
- cardialgia;
- memory loss.
But there may be no symptoms, and hypercholesterolemia may be discovered during examination by a doctor by chance. What does this say?
Mandatory examination is necessary in the presence of various heart diseases, diabetes, kidney and liver disease.
With low cholesterol, the opposite condition occurs - immunity suffers, the work of many organs is disrupted. The main thing is that the elasticity of blood vessels worsens and there is a risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
Danger of elevated LDL levels
High blood cholesterol in men, if left untreated, can lead to complications such as:
- atherosclerosis;
- thromboembolism;
- heart failure, ischemia, heart attacks, angina pectoris;
- hormonal imbalance;
- pathology of the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands;
- cerebrovascular accident and strokes;
- memory loss;
- fatal.
In the list of the above, vascular disease prevails, which causes all these pathologies. Therefore, it is important for everyone to remember that the causes and consequences of high cholesterol in men are always very closely related, and being examined in a timely manner and, if necessary, starting treatment is the key to he alth.
What happens when a blockage or narrowing of the lumen of blood vessels?
Clots form, the blood supply to the brain and heart is disturbed, hypoxia, ischemia and tissue necrosis develop. Diseases develop gradually, with atherosclerosis in 89% of cases, death occurs in a dream.
If a man has high cholesterol, what should I do? The solution to the problem must be comprehensive. The main points are: proper nutrition, and even better diet number 5.
It is important that only a complete and well-designed menu for high cholesterol in men, as well as maintaining a he althy lifestyle, will help reduce cholesterol to normal. Moderate physical activity is important, medication if needed.
Medicated treatment
The causes and treatment of high cholesterol in men are closely related. While cholesterol-lowering drugstoday there are many and they can be purchased at the pharmacy without a prescription, this does not mean the possibility of self-treatment. Even if you are medically savvy.
Treatment of high cholesterol in men should only be carried out by a doctor. It determines the duration of administration and dose. The attending physician can select (lipid-lowering) drugs that will block the development of atherosclerosis and minimize the risk of complications.
Lip-lowering drugs include:
- Statins - they block the synthesis of LDL, and the possibility of their deposition on the walls of blood vessels decreases. Lipid metabolism improves. Among them: "Traykor", "Lipantil 2000M" - valuable because it can be used in diabetes, "Atorvastatin", "Simgal", "Tulip" and others.
- Fibrates help increase the amount of an enzyme that breaks down LDL. These include "Fenofibrate", "Bezafibrate" and others.
- FFA - bile acid sequestrants. Their mechanism of action is that in the intestine they bind bile acids and form insoluble compounds that are excreted in the feces. As a result, they do not allow fats to be absorbed in the intestines. The body reacts to this by triggering the formation of new bile acids from LDL reserves, which ultimately lowers blood cholesterol. These include Cholestyramine, Colestipol, and others.
- Nicotinic acid preparations have the ability to increase blood HDL.
- To the basic treatment, many doctors often add dietary supplements to reduce bile. All treatment is carried out under the control of the level of OH in the blood.
Contraindications totreatment
They are available in almost all drugs. Fibric acid-based products are not used in young people who have not completed puberty. Also, this group of drugs is not prescribed to patients with diseases of the liver and kidneys, because they provoke the formation of kidney stones. Minimally and carefully prescribed for pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
FFA should not be taken by those who suffer from the biliary system, have kidney pathologies and frequent constipation.
Nicotinic acid is not recommended for chronic hepatitis, arrhythmias, DU and stomach.
Cholesterol-lowering foods
The main rules of the diet for high cholesterol in men are:
- preferred lean meat;
- chickens shouldn't have skins.
The best option is to replace meat with fish or chicken.
Also allowed all kinds of meat of young animals. Dairy products are medium fat. Plant foods should be included in the diet as much as possible. Salads should be dressed only with vegetable oils, with the exception of palm oil. Oils are better unrefined.
Porridges on the water are useful, especially oatmeal and buckwheat.
The diet must have:
- Nuts.
- For bread - only coarse flour.
- Egg yolks - 2-3 per week. Also limit the amount of cheese and offal.
- Seafood - inmaximum quantity.
Fried is excluded. Heat treatment - steamed or boiled. Coffee at a minimum, it is better to replace it with tea. Dried fruits should be kept to a minimum. Alcohol excluded except for red wine.
The diet for high cholesterol in men, which lowers cholesterol levels, should be balanced and completely eliminate sausages, pork and waterfowl, muffins.
From drinks, water, green tea, herbal teas, freshly squeezed juices, unsweetened compotes are allowed. Fruits - apples, bananas, citrus fruits, grapes, pears, plums. Berries - strawberries, strawberries, currants, raspberries. Vegetables - carrots, beets, zucchini, Brussels sprouts.
Seasonings (except red/black and allspice) are prohibited. In addition, they thicken the blood. Of particular note is coffee: its excessive consumption increases cholesterol. Especially if you drink more than 2 cups a day. Replace it with tea. Green tea lowers cholesterol by 15%.
Sports
If the patient's condition is not yet serious, then you can do without pills. Your lifestyle will have to change. Physical exercise will not only strengthen muscles, but also reduce weight, which is also important.
Olympic achievements are out of the question. Hiking in the fresh air is enough, but not less than an hour. End each workout with muscle relaxation; increase the amount of water you drink when exercising.
It is useful to do running, dancing, swimming. The increase in load is only gradual. The increase in heart rate should notexceed 15 beats of normal.
What do doctors recommend?
So, doctors recommend:
- Start your morning with a 10-minute workout.
- Drink clean water at least 2 liters a day.
- Be sure to drink a glass of water 20 minutes before meals.
- Exclude alcohol, smoking.
- Do sports at least 2 times a week.
- Hiking every day for at least an hour.
Cholesterol is necessary for the body, but its deficiency or excess leads to serious disorders. A balance is important to maintain.
