Jakarta –
The normal cholesterol value for women is very important information to know. Because if high cholesterol levels for the body, can trigger a number of serious health problems. In fact, until now many women who are at high risk of developing cholesterol do not realize it.
“About 45 percent of women over the age of 20 have total cholesterol of 200 mg/dl and above, which is considered elevated. A survey by the American Heart Association found that 76 percent of women had no idea what their cholesterol value really was,” says Erin Michos , Associate Director of Preventive Cardiology at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, quoted from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Quoted from the website of the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), cholesterol is a fatty compound produced by various cells in the body and liver. Basically, the body needs cholesterol to stay healthy.
Cholesterol is divided into two types, namely bad cholesterol or Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and good cholesterol or High Density Lipoprotein (HDL).
LDL works by accumulating cholesterol in the blood vessels so that the impact later triggers serious complications. That’s why it is called ‘bad’ cholesterol, while HDL is in charge of cleaning and removing LDL out to the liver (liver).
Quoted from Medical News Today, total and LDL cholesterol levels must be low. But having more HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol, in your blood can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.
In addition to heart attacks and strokes, high cholesterol levels also trigger other diseases. These include diabetes, underactive thyroid, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and kidney disease.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that someone routinely check their cholesterol levels every 4-6 years for those over the age of 20. This is because cholesterol levels tend to increase with age. So, what is the normal cholesterol value for women? Check out the explanation below.
Normal Cholesterol Value for Women
Michos explained that a woman’s normal cholesterol measure is when LDL cholesterol is less than 70 mg/dl and HDL should be close to 50 mg/dl. Likewise with triglycerides which must be less than 150 mg/dl.
“Total cholesterol levels well below 200 mg/dl is best,” said Michos.
Generally, women have higher HDL cholesterol levels than men because of the increased estrogen hormone in the body. However, this can change when a woman enters the menopause phase.
When entering the menopause phase, many women experience changes in cholesterol levels, namely total and LDL cholesterol increases, and HDL cholesterol decreases. This is why women who have good cholesterol values during their childbearing years are likely to end up with elevated cholesterol later in life.
In addition, genetic and lifestyle factors can also play a big role in changes in a person’s cholesterol levels.
Watch Video “Tips from Doctors for People with Cholesterol to Safely Run Fasting“
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