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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any conditions. LifeDNA does not provide diagnostic services for any conditions mentioned in this or any other article.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs to stay healthy. It helps build cells, make hormones, and produce vitamin D. Your body makes most of the cholesterol it needs in the liver, but you also get some from foods like meat, cheese, eggs, and butter. While cholesterol is important, having too much of it in your blood can be dangerous. When there’s an unhealthy amount of cholesterol, it may stick to the walls of your arteries. These are the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your heart and other parts of your body.
You may want to read: How Can Genetics Influence Cholesterol Levels?
There are two main types of cholesterol, and they have very different effects on your health. LDL, or low-density lipoprotein is often called the “bad” cholesterol. That’s because too much LDL can build up in your arteries forming a thick, hard substance called plaque. On the other hand, HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is known as the “good” cholesterol. HDL helps remove extra cholesterol from your blood and carries it back to the liver, where your body can get rid of it.
Cholesterol is important for your body to function properly, but having too much of it, especially the wrong kind can be harmful. Cholesterol travels through your bloodstream, and when there is too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL), it can begin to stick to the walls of your arteries. Over time, this sticky buildup may narrow or block your arteries. When blood has a harder time flowing through your body, your heart has to work harder to keep things moving. This increases your risk of serious health problems, including heart disease. If an artery becomes completely blocked, it may lead to a heart attack or stroke. That’s why keeping your cholesterol levels in a healthy range is so important for your long-term heart and brain health.
Your cholesterol levels are influenced by a mix of lifestyle choices and inherited traits. One of the biggest factors is your diet. Eating a lot of fried, fatty, or highly processed foods, like fast food, chips, and baked goods can increase the amount of LDL in your blood. Your body weight matters too. Being overweight or obese can cause your body to produce more LDL and reduce your HDL, making it harder to keep your arteries clear.
Some people are born with gene variants that make their bodies naturally produce or keep more cholesterol than normal. This means they may struggle with high cholesterol no matter how healthy their lifestyle is. That’s why understanding your DNA and your genetic makeup can be such a powerful tool. It can help explain how your body handles cholesterol and guide you toward the most effective way to manage it.
Your DNA has a major influence on how your body handles cholesterol. While lifestyle choices like diet and exercise are important, some people are born with genetic makeup that makes it harder to keep their cholesterol levels in a healthy range. One example is hypercholesterolemia (FH) which occurs often from a young age, and increases the risk of early heart disease. But FH is just one example. There are many other ways your genes can affect cholesterol. Here are a few of the most important ones:
Understanding how these genetic factors affect your body can make a big difference in how you can manage your cholesterol.Â
Genetic information is only the first step. Once a genetic risk like familial hypercholesterolemia is identified, care can be personalized to manage your cholesterol levels:
