What are lipids?

Lipids are heterogeneous compounds of fats and oils found in the body tissues. They are responsible to maintain normalcy with regard to our body functionalities. The most common form of fats that are included in lipids are cholesterol and triglycerides. Now let’s dive deeper into these two fats and what they contribute to our bodies.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy type of lipid or fat that circulates through your veins and arteries. They don’t dissolve in water, so they do not come apart in your blood. Our livers make cholesterol naturally though we also get them from meat based food consumption. They are produced to be utilised by our cell membrane to form layers that protect the contents inside. They are also needed to produce Vitamin D in the body.

Types

1. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) AKA the bad cholesterol
   
   LDL can build up on the walls of your arteries and cause blockages. This build-up is called atherosclerosis.
    
2. High density lipoprotein (HDL) AKA the good cholesterol
   
   HDL prevents the LDL from causing blockages in the arteries. It carries the bad cholesterol to the liver to be washed away from the body.
    
3. Very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL)
   
   They are particles in the blood that carry triglycerides.

Why do we seek to keep a tab on our cholesterol?

Now that we know what LDL and HDL are, it isn’t very difficult to understand which of the two do we want in higher numbers in the body, and which; we don’t.

Having the bad cholesterol/LDL in higher numbers in the body can cause various cardiovascular problems in the body such as heart attacks, strokes, or even coronary artery disease.

Certain risk factors that require careful monitoring of our lipid profile levels include:

• Obesity
• Bad food habits
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Already having suffered a heart attack
• Being a diabetic/potentially diabtic

Hence, it is important to keep our LDL levels low at all times.

How do we do that?

• By getting a lipid profile test annually.
• Getting the right medical advice and treatment from your doctor if your LDL is high.

Lipid profile test

What’s a lipid profile test? It is a type of blood test that measures the amount of cholesterol and fats in our body. The results of this test can identify certain genetic disorders, determine approximate risks for cardiovascular disease and certain forms of pancreatitis.

Lipid profile test is often done while fasting. This is to avoid any unnecessary variation in our lipid profiles which may happen if we eat our foods, especially our LDL cholesterol levels. The doctors usually prescribe fasting 10-12 hours prior to the test. The test is conducted by drawing a small amount of blood sample and sending it to the laboratory for a thorough examination.

The test includes:

• Total lipids
• Serum total cholesterol
• Serum HDL
• Serum LDL
• Total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio
• Serum triglycerides

Please note, you can now opt for a health checkup at home with Pathkind Labs’ home sample collection facility anytime.

What to expect after the test results?

The optimal level (measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood — mg/dL) for each of the four standard tests in a lipid panel are as follows:

• Total cholesterol: Below 200 mg/dL
• HDL cholesterol: Above 60 mg/dL
• HDL cholesterol: Below 100 mg/dL (For people who have diabetes: Below 70 mg/dL)
• Triglycerides: Below 150 mg/dL

In case the LDL levels are high, we may need to visit a doctor soon.

They will take into consideration the following factors when interpreting your lipid panel results:

• Your age
• Your overall health
• Your medical history
• Your current medications
• Other risk factors you may have for cardiovascular disease

There are ways to control our lipid profile levels at home as well:

• Reduce consumption of saturated and trans fats.
• Increase intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
• Consume soluble fiber on a daily basis.
• Reduce consumption of concentrated sugars.
• Reduce alcohol consumption.
• Increase physical activity and reduce weight.

We can always start to keep our cholesterol in check personally.

And remember, high cholesterol has zero physical symptoms. Hence it is important to visit our doctor annually for a lipid profile test nonetheless. 

So in case you want to go for one right away, you can always visit one of our centers that’s closest to you. All you have to do is search for “blood test lab near me” online.

Take care!