Remember the last time you watched a TV ad for a medication to lower your cholesterol? Was the person in the advertisement a baby boomer (or someone older)? The answer is probably yes. Older folks frequently experience high cholesterol.
Yet, that doesn’t rule out the possibility of unhealthy HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels in younger individuals. People as early as their teens and 20s may find themselves in this situation for a number of reasons, including genetics, food, and body weight.
It can be distressing to learn you have high cholesterol at a young age. You do, however, have alternatives for both prevention and treatment.
Continue reading to learn more about living with hyperlipidemia (also known as high cholesterol) when you’re younger.
Are young adults susceptible to having high cholesterol?
In general, middle-aged or older persons are more likely to have high cholesterol than younger ones. Having said that, high cholesterol doesn’t just affect the elderly.
Although less prevalent, hyperlipidemia can occur in people in their earlier years (also called hypercholesterolemia). Sometimes, even young children can struggle with this problem.
Younger people with high cholesterol should take an active approach to control their condition. The risk of heart disease and stroke increases with high blood lipids at any age.
Furthermore, a study found that having high cholesterol at a young age increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease throughout the course of your lifetime.
Researchers in this study discovered that artery damage from high LDL (bad) cholesterol appears to be cumulative, emphasising the importance of starting the treatment early in life.
How frequent is high cholesterol in young adults?
Unexpectedly, younger persons with high cholesterol are more common than you might think.
According to a recent study, 26.3 million young adults (18 to 39 years old) in the United States had borderline high or high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. 27% of the population at that age, to be exact.
The only way to determine if you have hyperlipidemia is to get tested as it typically has no symptoms. Those 20 years of age and older who are at low risk of cardiovascular disease should get checked every five years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is advised that those with risk factors—such as obesity or a family history of heart attacks—should have their cholesterol levels examined more frequently.
Why do young adults have high cholesterol levels?
Sometimes having high cholesterol while one is young is just a matter of genetic luck. LDL cholesterol is abnormally recycled by the body as a result of the genetic disorder known as familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).
For some young adults, additional health and lifestyle issues, such as obesity, smoking, using certain drugs, and leading a sedentary lifestyle, are the main causes of high cholesterol.
Your risk may be particularly elevated by a diet that is low in fibre and heavy in fibre-free fats, added sweets, and sodium.
Diabetes can additionally have an impact on your statistics. Diabetic dyslipidemia is a disorder that can cause both an increase in LDL (the bad cholesterol) and a decrease in HDL (the good cholesterol).
How can young adults lower their cholesterol levels?
There are many ways to treat high cholesterol in young adults. The best strategies to address this problem should be discussed with a doctor if you have been given a diagnosis.
A doctor might suggest the following strategies:
- keeping a healthy weight
- consuming a diet reduced in sodium, added sweets, and saturated and trans fats
- consuming a diet rich in antioxidants and fibre
- avoid smoking
- lowering alcohol intake
- taking statins or other drugs that decrease cholesterol
- increasing daily exercise to at least 30 minutes
- supplementing your diet with apple cider vinegar
Dietary Recommendations to Lower Cholesterol Levels
Eat a diet high in fibre
Viscous dietary fibre has been shown in numerous studies to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Try to eat more fibre-rich foods like whole grains, beans, ladies’ fingers, avocados, apples, pears, and so on. These meals contain soluble fibre, which prevents intestine-derived cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Reduce your intake of foods high in carbs
The amount of cholesterol in your body can be influenced favourably by a low-carbohydrate diet. It helps people lose weight by reducing their appetite. Your LDL, total cholesterol, and triglyceride readings will all decrease with weight loss. It can also assist you in increasing your HDL levels.
Consume healthy fats
Include healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats in your diet in place of trans fats and saturated fats. They can raise HDL cholesterol levels while lowering LDL cholesterol. Nuts, seeds, fatty fish, and fish oil supplements are good sources of these nutrients for lowering cholesterol.
Drink pomegranate juice
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, can be decreased by antioxidants. Pomegranate juice has three times as many antioxidants as red wine or green tea. Hence, make an effort to have a glass of pomegranate juice each day.
Although receiving a high cholesterol diagnosis in your teen years, the 20s, or 30s may be unsettling, it is manageable. You might be able to change your levels to a healthier range with the appropriate regimen of medication, lifestyle changes, or both. Check out Dr.Patkar’s Apple cider vinegar with Ginger Garlic Lemon & Honey to lower your cholesterol levels.
