Medications: Certain medications can increase total cholesterol levels, including corticosteroids, beta-blockers, thiazide diuretics, retinoids, growth hormones, and antivirals.ĭiseases: Certain diseases like chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS can elevate total cholesterol.Īge and Sex: Premenopausal women tend to have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. Smoking: Smoking lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol, which can contribute to higher LDL (bad) cholesterol. Being physically active can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Being overweight also tends to increase cholesterol levels. Factors that could contribute to a total cholesterol level of 220:ĭiet: Diets low in fiber and high in saturated fats, trans fats, added sugar, and other refined carbohydrates can cause blood cholesterol to go up. If you already have heart disease, lowering your total cholesterol can reduce your odds of serious complications, like a heart attack or stroke. Lowering your cholesterol will reduce your risk of developing heart disease and other health issues. Ideally, triglycerides should be <150 mg/dL.Įlevated total cholesterol doesn’t have symptoms, which is why it’s important to know your levels. Triglycerides are another type of fat that can build up in the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart disease. A HDL level >60 mg/dL is considered optimal and protective against heart disease, though levels >40 mg/dL for men and >50 mg/dL for women are still considered good. HDL is considered “good” cholesterol because it scavenges “bad” blood cholesterol and returns it to the liver for excretion. Ideally, LDL levels should be less than 100 mg/dL, but lower is better. LDL is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it accumulates in your blood vessels and increases your risk for heart disease. Your total cholesterol is calculated by adding your LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, and 20% of triglyceride levels. Although cholesterol serves several important functions in the body, elevated cholesterol may put you at greater risk for heart disease. What does a total cholesterol level of 220 mean? Are there any symptoms associated with this level?Ī total cholesterol level of 220 mg/dL is considered elevated.
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