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What Causes High Blood Cholesterol?

High blood cholesterol is a condition where your blood actually carries more cholesterol than normal. Often referred to as hypercholesterolemia, this elevated level of cholesterol can place you at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is the accumulation of fatty deposits along the arterial wall. When the occurs, your blood vessels narrow and sometimes harden, raising your blood pressure and increasing the potential of coronary artery disease, stroke and heart disease. To combat this condition, it is very important to understand what is causing the problem.

  1. Diet

    • One of the main culprits of high blood cholesterol is your eating habits. When your diet is made up of products that are high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, you're more likely to develop high blood cholesterol than those people who limit or avoid such products. Fatty meats, whole dairy goods, fried foods, highly processed meals and prepackaged snacks are often filled with saturated and trans fats, increasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your bloodstream, which is the "bad" cholesterol.

      But it isn't just what you eat that can contribute to high blood cholesterol; it's also what you don't eat. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as cold-water fish can actually go a long way to increasing you high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as "good" cholesterol, which can lower your total blood cholesterol.

    Weight

    • Another factor that plays a role in the development of high blood cholesterol is your weight. Excess weight, especially when dealing with obesity, can contribute to the elevation in blood cholesterol. Even the loss of 5 to 10 pounds, according to the Mayo Clinic, can favorably impact your blood cholesterol.

    Lifestyle

    • Sometimes, high blood cholesterol is a direct result of your lifestyle. When you lead a more sedentary life, you're actually more apt to develop this condition. Exercise has long been seen as a "cholesterol-lowering" activity, so keeping fit and active can often keep your cholesterol levels within a normal range.

    Tobacco

    • High blood cholesterol has also been linked to the use of tobacco products, namely smoking tobacco. This is largely due to the effect it has on HDL cholesterol, which can help to remove LDL cholesterol from your bloodstream. When you smoke, your HDL cholesterol level can drop and impact your total blood cholesterol.

    Genetics

    • Sadly, genetics can play a role in high blood cholesterol. In this situation, your body actually produces more cholesterol than normal, making diet, weight and exercise even more important for you and your cholesterol levels.

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