When should you start paying attention to your cholesterol levels?

Now! Yes – that even means those of you who have just graduated high school!

I’m sure many of you know or have known someone close to you with heart disease. Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States and high LDL levels on a blood test are a known risk factor for plaque build up in our arteries. LDL is part of the cholesterol blood test and overtime, this bad cholesterol narrows the arteries and increases the risk of plaque rupture, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

So - let’s stop the growth of this concerning statistic. The issue with current cholesterol guidelines is that the recommendations are mostly based off studies in adults whose mean age is 63yo. But 50% of cardiovascular events occur before the age of 60 - and plaque build-up is a life-long process that starts in adolescence. This highlights the fact that we need to start paying attention much sooner than we have been to actually PREVENT this from happening in the first place!

The recommendation is to get a cholesterol check between the ages of 17-20yo and then every 3-5 years depending on risk. So when was the last time you had your LDL checked?

Oh, and the LDL number we want to target? 80. Yes, data suggests targeting an LDL less than 80mg/dL earlier on would significantly delay the progression of heart disease. In the United States, adults with an average LDL level of 110-120mg/dL have a 46% lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.

If your level is above goal, you CAN make a significant change by adopting a healthier nutrition approach and getting the recommended amount of exercise in per week. Do NOT underestimate the power of these lifestyle habits. I counsel my patients on these and see how patients thrive in their health when they apply the recommendations.

It’s not too early to understand your health risk and it’s never too early to do something about it!