The norm of cholesterol in the blood in women and men by age
Content:
- What is cholesterol and why is it needed?
- Cholesterol "bad" and "good"
- The rate of cholesterol in the blood by age
- At-risk groups
- Cholesterol - a cause of atherosclerosis?
What is cholesterol and why is it needed in our body?
What can the average, ordinary person without medical education tell us about cholesterol? If you ask anyone, a few standard calculations, cliches and considerations immediately follow. Cholesterol can be of two types: "good" and "bad", cholesterol is the cause of atherosclerosis, since it accumulates on the walls of blood vessels and forms plaques. This is where the complex of knowledge of the common man ends.
Which of this knowledge is true, which is just speculation, and which was not said?
What is cholesterol?
Few people really know what cholesterol is. However, ignorance does not prevent the majority from considering it an extremely harmful and hazardous substance to health.
Cholesterol is a fatty alcohol. In both domestic and foreign medical practice, another name for the substance is also used - "cholesterol". The role of cholesterol cannot be overestimated. This substance is found in the cell membranes of animals and is responsible for giving them strength.
The largest amount of cholesterol is involved in the formation of erythrocyte cell membranes (about 24%), liver cell membranes account for 17%, brain (white matter) - 15%, gray matter of the brain - 5-7%.
The beneficial properties of cholesterol
Cholesterol is very important for our body:
- Cholesterol is actively involved in the digestion process, since without it, the production of digestive salts and juices by the liver is impossible.
- Another important function of cholesterol is participation in the synthesis of male and female sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone). A change in the concentration of fatty alcohol in the blood (both up and down) can lead to malfunctions of reproductive function.
- Thanks to cholesterol, the adrenal glands can stably produce cortisol, and vitamin D is synthesized in the dermal structures. Studies show that violations of the concentration of cholesterol in the blood lead to a weakening of the immune system and many other disruptions in the body.
- The vast majority of the substance is produced by the body independently (about 75%) and only 20-25% comes from food. Therefore, according to research, cholesterol levels can deviate in one direction or another depending on the diet.
Cholesterol "bad" and "good" - what's the difference?
With a new round of cholesterol hysteria in the 80-90s, people started talking about the exceptional harmfulness of fatty alcohol from all sides. There are television programs of dubious quality, and pseudoscientific research in newspapers and magazines, and the opinions of low-educated doctors. As a result, a distorted information flow fell upon the person, creating a fundamentally wrong picture. It is quite reasonable to believe that the lower the concentration of cholesterol in the blood, the better. Is this really so? As it turned out, no.
Cholesterol plays an essential role in the stable functioning of the human body as a whole and its individual systems. Fatty alcohol is traditionally divided into "bad" and "good". This is a conditional classification, since in fact cholesterol is not “good”, it cannot be “bad”. It has a single composition and a single structure. It all depends on which transport protein it will attach to. That is, cholesterol is dangerous only in a certain bound and not free state.
Cholesterol "bad" (or low density cholesterol) is able to settle on the walls of blood vessels and form plaque layers that close the lumen of the blood vessel. When combined with apoprotein proteins, cholesterol forms LDL complexes. With an increase in such blood cholesterol, the danger really exists.
Graphically, the LDL fat-protein complex can be represented as follows:
Cholesterol “good” (high-density cholesterol or HDL) differs from bad cholesterol both in structure and function. It cleans the walls of blood vessels from "bad" cholesterol and sends the harmful substance for processing to the liver.
Find out more: Causes of high cholesterol, why is it dangerous?
The rate of cholesterol in the blood by age
Blood cholesterol according to CNN:
Total cholesterol
| Below 5.2 mmol / L | Optimal |
| 5.2 - 6.2 mmol / l | Maximum allowable |
| Over 6.2 mmol / L | Tall |
LDL cholesterol ("bad")
| Below 1.8 mmol / L | Optimal for people with a high risk of cardiovascular disease |
| Below 2.6 mmol / L | Optimal for people with a predisposition to cardiovascular disease |
| 2.6 - 3.3 mmol / l | Optimal |
| 3.4 - 4.1 mmol / l | Maximum allowable |
| 4.1 - 4.9 mmol / l | Tall |
| Over 4.9 mmol / L | Very tall |
HDL cholesterol ("good")
| Less than 1.0 mmol / L (for men) | Bad |
| Less than 1.3 mmol / L (for women) | |
| 1.0 - 1.3 mmol / L (for men) | Normal |
| 1.3 - 1.5 mmol / l (for women) | |
| 1.6 mmol / L and above | A great |
Triglyceride level
| Below 1.7 mmol / L | Desirable |
| 1.7 - 2.2 mmol / l | Maximum allowable |
| 2.3 - 5.6 mmol / l | Tall |
| Above 5.6 mmol / L and above | Very tall |
Find out more: What is the Triglyceride Rate by Age and How to Lower It?
Norms of cholesterol in the blood in women by age
| LDL cholesterol | HDL cholesterol | ||
| <5 years | 2.90-5.18 mmol / l | ||
| 5-10 years | 2.26 - 5.30 mmol / l | 1.76 - 3.63 mmol / l | 0.93 - 1.89 mmol / l |
| 10-15 years old | 3.21-5.20 mmol / l | 1.76 - 3.52 mmol / l | 0.96 - 1.81 mmol / l |
| 15-20 years old | 3.08 - 5.18 mmol / l | 1.53 - 3.55 mmol / l | 0.91 - 1.91 mmol / l |
| 20-25 years old | 3.16 - 5.59 mmol / l | 1.48 - 4.12 mmol / l | 0.85 - 2.04 mmol / l |
| 25-30 years old | 3.32 - 5.75 mmol / l | 1.84 - 4.25 mmol / l | 0.96 - 2.15 mmol / l |
| 30-35 years old | 3.37 - 5.96 mmol / l | 1.81 - 4.04 mmol / l | 0.93 - 1.99 mmol / l |
| 35-40 years old | 3.63 - 6.27 mmol / l | 1.94 - 4.45 mmol / l | 0.88 - 2.12 mmol / l |
| 40-45 years old | 3.81 - 6.53 mmol / l | 1.92 - 4.51 mmol / l | 0.88 - 2.28 mmol / l |
| 45-50 years old | 3.94 - 6.86 mmol / l | 2.05 - 4.82 mmol / l | 0.88 - 2.25 mmol / l |
| 50-55 years old | 4.20 - 7.38 mmol / l | 2.28 - 5.21 mmol / l | 0.96 - 2.38 mmol / l |
| 55-60 years old | 4.45 - 7.77 mmol / l | 2.31 - 5.44 mmol / l | 0.96 - 2.35 mmol / l |
| 60-65 years old | 4.45 - 7.69 mmol / l | 2.59 - 5.80 mmol / l | 0.98 - 2.38 mmol / l |
| 65-70 years old | 4.43 - 7.85 mmol / l | 2.38 - 5.72 mmol / l | 0.91 - 2.48 mmol / l |
| > 70 years | 4.48 - 7.25 mmol / l | 2.49 - 5.34 mmol / l | 0.85 - 2.38 mmol / l |
In females, the concentration of cholesterol is stable and is approximately at the same value until menopause, and then increases.
When interpreting the results of laboratory tests, it is important to take into account not only gender and age, but also a number of additional factors that can significantly change the picture and lead an inexperienced doctor to the wrong conclusions:
- Season. Depending on the season, the level of the substance may decrease or increase. It is known for certain that in the cold season (late autumn-winter), the concentration increases by about 2-4%. A deviation by such a value can be considered a physiological norm.
- The beginning of the menstrual cycle. In the first half of the cycle, the deviation can reach almost 10%, which is also a physiological norm. In the later stages of the cycle, an increase in cholesterol is observed by 6-8%. This is due to the peculiarities of the synthesis of fatty compounds under the influence of sex hormones.
- Carrying a fetus. Pregnancy is another reason for a significant increase in cholesterol due to a different intensity of fat synthesis. An increase of 12-15% from the norm is considered normal.
- Diseases. Diseases such as angina pectoris, arterial hypertension in the acute phase (we are talking about sharp attacks), acute respiratory diseases often cause a significant decrease in the concentration of cholesterol in the blood. The effect can last from a day to a month or more. The decrease is observed in the range of 13-15%.
- Malignant neoplasms. Contributes to a sharp decrease in the concentration of fatty alcohol levels. This process can be explained by the active growth of pathological tissue. For its formation, many substances are required, including fatty alcohol.
Cholesterol in women after 40 years
- 40 - 45 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 3.81-6.53 mmol / l, LDL-cholesterol - 1.92-4.51 mmol / l, HDL-cholesterol - 0.88-2.28.
- 45-50 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 3.94-6.86 mmol / l, LDL-cholesterol is 2.05-4.82 mmol / l, HDL-cholesterol is 0.88-2.25.
Cholesterol in women over 50
- 50-55 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 4.20 - 7.38 mmol / L, LDL cholesterol is 2.28 - 5.21 mmol / L, HDL cholesterol is 0.96 - 2.38 mmol / L.
- 55-60 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 4.45 - 7.77 mmol / L, LDL cholesterol is 2.31 - 5.44 mmol / L, HDL cholesterol is 0.96 - 2.35 mmol / L.
Cholesterol in women over 60
- 60-65 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 4.43 - 7.85 mmol / l, LDL cholesterol - 2.59 - 5.80 mmol / l, HDL cholesterol - 0.98 - 2.38 mmol / l.
- 65-70 years old. The norm for total cholesterol is 4.20 - 7.38 mmol / l, LDL cholesterol - 2.38 - 5.72 mmol / l, HDL cholesterol - 0.91 - 2.48 mmol / l.
- After 70 years. The norm for total cholesterol is 4.48 - 7.25 mmol / l, LDL cholesterol - 2.49 - 5.34 mmol / l, HDL cholesterol - 0.85 - 2.38 mmol / l.
Blood cholesterol levels in men by age
| LDL cholesterol | HDL cholesterol | ||
| <5 years | 2.95-5.25 mmol / l | ||
| 5-10 years | 3.13 - 5.25 mmol / l | 1.63 - 3.34 mmol / l | 0.98 - 1.94 mmol / l |
| 10-15 years old | 3.08-5.23 mmol / l | 1.66 - 3.34 mmol / l | 0.96 - 1.91 mmol / l |
| 15-20 years old | 2.91 - 5.10 mmol / l | 1.61 - 3.37 mmol / l | 0.78 - 1.63 mmol / l |
| 20-25 years old | 3.16 - 5.59 mmol / l | 1.71 - 3.81 mmol / l | 0.78 - 1.63 mmol / l |
| 25-30 years old | 3.44 - 6.32 mmol / l | 1.81 - 4.27 mmol / l | 0.80 - 1.63 mmol / l |
| 30-35 years old | 3.57 - 6.58 mmol / l | 2.02 - 4.79 mmol / l | 0.72 - 1.63 mmol / l |
| 35-40 years old | 3.63 - 6.99 mmol / l | 1.94 - 4.45 mmol / l | 0.88 - 2.12 mmol / l |
| 40-45 years old | 3.91 - 6.94 mmol / l | 2.25 - 4.82 mmol / l | 0.70 - 1.73 mmol / l |
| 45-50 years old | 4.09 - 7.15 mmol / l | 2.51 - 5.23 mmol / l | 0.78 - 1.66 mmol / l |
| 50-55 years old | 4.09 - 7.17 mmol / l | 2.31 - 5.10 mmol / l | 0.72 - 1.63 mmol / l |
| 55-60 years old | 4.04 - 7.15 mmol / l | 2.28 - 5.26 mmol / l | 0.72 - 1.84 mmol / l |
| 60-65 years old | 4.12 - 7.15 mmol / l | 2.15 - 5.44 mmol / l | 0.78 - 1.91 mmol / l |
| 65-70 years old | 4.09 - 7.10 mmol / l | 2.49 - 5.34 mmol / l | 0.78 - 1.94 mmol / l |
| > 70 years | 3.73 - 6.86 mmol / l | 2.49 - 5.34 mmol / l | 0.85 - 1.94 mmol / l |
Thus, some conclusions can be drawn. Over time, the level of cholesterol in the blood gradually increases (the dynamics has the character of a direct proportional relationship: the more years, the higher the cholesterol). However, this process is not the same for different sexes. In men, the level of fatty alcohol rises until the age of 50 and then begins to decline.
Learn More: Statins and Other Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
At-risk groups
The risk groups for increased concentration of "bad" cholesterol in the blood are determined by a number of risk factors:
- Age;
- Heredity;
- Floor;
- The presence of coronary heart disease (or ischemic heart disease).
Heredity
In the 60s and 70s, it was axiomatically believed that the main cause of high blood cholesterol levels was an improper diet and the abuse of "harmful" food. By the 90s, it became clear that unhealthy diet is just the "tip of the iceberg" and in addition there are a number of factors. One of these is the genetically determined specificity of metabolism.
How does the human body directly process certain substances? depends on heredity. The features of the father's metabolism and the features of the mother's metabolism play a role here. A person "inherits" two chromosome sets. Meanwhile, studies have shown that as many as 95 genes are responsible for determining the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.
The number is considerable, considering that defective copies of one or another gene are often found. According to statistics, every 500th person in the world carries one or more damaged genes (out of those 95) responsible for the processing of fatty alcohol. Moreover, more than a thousand mutations of these genes are known. Even if there is a situation in which a normal gene is inherited from one of the parents and a damaged gene from the other, the risk of problems with the concentration of cholesterol remains high.
This is due to the nature of the defective gene. In the body, it becomes dominant, and it is he who is responsible for the method and characteristics of cholesterol processing.
Thus, if one or both parents had problems with cholesterol, with a probability of 25 to 75% the child will inherit this metabolic feature and will also have problems in the future. However, this does not always happen.
The diet
Although nutrition does not play a key role in the mechanism of blood cholesterol dynamics, it still significantly affects it. With food, as mentioned, no more than 25% of all fatty alcohol comes in. The type of cholesterol it goes into can be said depending on the foods eaten in parallel and the characteristics of metabolism. A food itself rich in cholesterol (egg, shrimp), eaten with fatty foods (mayonnaise, sausages, etc.) is more likely to lead to an increase in LDL cholesterol levels.
The same effect would be if the person inherited the defective gene. In the presence of a defective gene (or genes), the same result will come even if nothing fat was used along the way. The reason lies in the fact that the liver does not receive a signal to reduce the production of its own cholesterol, and it continues to actively produce fatty acid. That is why, for example, people with a characteristic metabolism are not recommended to consume more than 4 eggs per week.
Cholesterol content in food:
Interesting information: Can I eat butter, eggs, shrimp and drink alcohol with high cholesterol?
Excess weight
The question of the role of excess weight in raising blood cholesterol levels remains quite controversial. It is not entirely clear what is the cause and what is the effect. However, according to statistics, almost 65% of overweight people have problems with the level of fatty alcohol in the blood, and its "bad" variety.
Physical inactivity (decreased physical activity)
Low physical activity is directly related to an increase in blood cholesterol levels. The reason is stagnant processes and disorders of the body's energy metabolism. With sufficient exercise, the level of "bad" cholesterol usually decreases.
Instability of the functioning of the thyroid gland
The influence of the degree of functioning of the thyroid gland and the level of cholesterol in the blood is reciprocal. As soon as the thyroid gland ceases to cope with its functions qualitatively, the concentration of fatty alcohol increases abruptly. At the same time, when cholesterol is high and the thyroid gland was previously working normally, this can change. The danger is that such changes in the functioning of the thyroid gland are practically not diagnosed, while organic changes in the organ are already occurring.
Therefore, persons with a tendency to unstable cholesterol dynamics should be attentive to the thyroid gland, regularly checking it, and as soon as the initial symptoms of hypothyroidism (weakness, drowsiness and weakness, etc.) begin to be observed, immediately consult an endocrinologist.
Liver and kidney problems
If there are problems with these two organs, cholesterol levels can also rise and fall uncontrollably.
Taking certain types of medications
Many drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular disease can have a certain effect on the concentration of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Thus, beta-blockers (Verapamil, Diltiazem, etc.) slightly increase the level of fatty acid. The same effect is caused by hormonal drugs to eliminate acne, etc.
The more risk factors can be attributed to the history of a particular patient, the more likely the presence of an increased amount of cholesterol in the blood.
Cholesterol - the main cause of atherosclerosis?
For the first time, the hypothesis of cholesterol as the most important factor in the development of atherosclerosis was formulated by N. Anichkov at the beginning of the 20th century (1912). A rather dubious experiment was carried out to confirm the hypothesis.
For some time, the scientist introduced a saturated and concentrated solution of cholesterol into the digestive canal of rabbits. As a result of the "diet" on the walls of the vessels of animals, deposits of fatty alcohol began to form. And as a result of changing the diet to the usual one, everything became the same. The hypothesis was confirmed. But this method of confirmation cannot be called unambiguous.
The only thing that was confirmed by the experiment is that the consumption of cholesterol-containing foods is harmful to herbivores. However, humans, like many other animals, are not herbivores. A similar experiment performed on dogs did not confirm the hypothesis.
The pharmaceutical giants have played a significant role in fueling the cholesterol hysteria. And although by the 90s the theory was recognized as incorrect, and it was not shared by the overwhelming majority of scientists, it was profitable for the concerns to replicate false information to earn hundreds of millions of dollars on the so-called. statins (drugs to lower blood cholesterol).
In December 2006, in the journal "Neurology" the cholesterol theory of the origin of atherosclerosis was finally given up. The experiment was based on a control group of centenarians aged up to 100-105 years. As it turned out, almost all of them have significantly increased levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood, but none of them had atherosclerosis.
The deposition of cholesterol occurs, as a rule, when the vascular wall is damaged, roughly speaking, when the cholesterol molecules "have something to cling to." Therefore, care should be taken to restore the vascular walls. This can be done with the help of modern advances in pharmaceuticals - peptide bioregulators. These are special substances of a protein nature that improve the condition of organs and tissues at the cellular level. To help the work of blood vessels and improve blood circulation, the bioregulator Vasalamin was created.
Vasalamin helps the vascular cells to rejuvenate, carrying out their "overhaul". Cytamines find damaged DNA regions of vascular cells and create conditions for their restoration. As a result, it helps to restore healthy tissue of blood vessels and capillaries. The peptide can be used both for treatment and prevention of vascular disorders. With this in mind, Vasalamin is recommended for almost all elderly and elderly people to maintain the function of the vascular system. Taking Vasalamin does not cause the development of side effects.
Thus, it was not possible to confirm a direct connection between the development of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases and the concentration of cholesterol in the blood. If there is a role for cholesterol in the mechanism, it is not obvious and has a secondary, if not more distant, significance.
Thus, the role of cholesterol in the development of cardiovascular diseases is nothing more than a profitable and replicated myth!
Video: how to lower cholesterol? Ways to lower cholesterol at home
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
