There are few symptoms of high cholesterol, except in some rare cases. People with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder, sometimes have cholesterol-containing deposits that can be seen through the skin.
In some of the worst cases, these deposits are disfiguring and can interfere with a person's activities. They are hard yellow nodules that sometimes gather on the joints or ligaments.
Sometimes optometrists can see deposits around the iris or on other parts of the eyes. As people age, optometrists often see drusen in the retina, the light-gathering tissue inside of the eyes. The composition of the drusen includes proteins and fats, part of which may be cholesterol.
Fats or lipids, proteins, fluids and nutrients travel from one part of the body to another via the bloodstream. Triglycerides in the bloodstream contain a combination of fatty acids and glucose. Levels of triglycerides can become elevated when a person eats a high fat diet.
Elevated triglycerides are a risk factor for disease of the heart and circulatory system. The fatty acids can become oxidized or calcified and form clots. The clots can cause a stroke or a heart attack.
Since there are few outward symptoms of high cholesterol, but that and higher triglyceride levels are considered a risk factor for the development of heart disease, most doctors advise screening. The screening involves drawing some blood and sending it to a laboratory for evaluation.
The laboratory evaluates the triglyceride and lipoprotein content of the sample. Lipoproteins are the transport vehicles for cholesterols, fatty acids, proteins and some other nutrients. Lipoproteins are of various densities. The lower density compounds have a high fat and low protein content. The higher density ones contain more protein.
The high density lipoproteins are abbreviated HDL and are sometimes called "good" cholesterols, although the term is not very accurate. The low density lipoproteins are referred to as LDL. A high LDL count, combined with a low HDL count is considered unhealthy.
Arcus senilis is sometimes said to be one of the symptoms of high cholesterol. It is a gray or white arc or complete circle that forms around the edge of the cornea.
The cornea is the clear lens that covers the outside layer of the eyes. The discoloration is often seen in older adults and is composed of fat. But, the arcs are not necessarily symptoms of high cholesterol or high triglycerides. A blood test is really the only way to tell.
When blood levels are determined to be unhealthy, dietary changes, exercise, weight loss, avoiding alcohol or cessation of cigarette smoking are the first recommendations. Doctors sometimes prescribe statin drugs to reduce blood levels, if a person seems unable to balance the levels on their own.
Alternative practitioners and natural health experts often suggest compounds found in plants and herbs. Phytosterols, for example, are compounds found in soy and other foods that compete with cholesterols for absorption in the digestive tract, which effectively lowers the amount absorbed.
Since there may be no symptoms of high cholesterol, high triglycerides or high blood pressure, but those things can damage our hearts and brains, it is important to have a regular checkup with your healthcare professional.
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