HDL Cholesterol level query?
I'm 30, 162 Ibs, 6 feet tall, my HDL Cholesterol is 42 which I'm told is bad. I cycle daily for 1.5 hours, covering 25-28 miles. Everything I'm reading is saying a low HDL means you don't exercise and you smoke. Any ideas why my HDL is so low for someone fit, active, who eats very healthily?
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-test/...
1
Natural Cholesterol Guide?
Actually, your cholesterol levels - total, LDL, and HDL, are probably mostly a result of genetic factors. So a low HDL does NOT mean "you don't exercise and you smoke". While it's possible to raise your HDL levels a little with exercise, there are people with high HDL who never exercise! Just as there are overweight people with low blood pressure and people with poor diet who have a healthy cholesterol level.
When it comes to your risk for heart disease, there are a lot of factors in play. Some of them - like exercise, smoking, diet, and maintaining a healthy blood pressure - you can control. Some of them, like genetics, gender, and age, you cannot!
And "low HDL" is defined as less than 40 in men and less than 50 in women. So technically, you do not qualify as having a "low" HDL. In fact, it's entirely possible that without your good exercise habits, your HDL would be low - so keep on exercising!
I was prescribed simvastin and had to come off them after a month and I am still having trouble walking and as well as sore knees I have got sore elbows I believe you can look statins up on the Web for side affects I think as well as muscle damage like in my case there is also the possibility of liver damage As with all medicines you have some people who are more prone to certain side effects But I read on the Web that they try you out with the cheaper ones first You or they have to weigh up the benefits of going on them as I am sure they do save a lot of lives. I may have to go onto another one in the future as yet I have not heard back from the doctor I had a blood test done and it showed that it had reduced my cholesterol by a fair amount also with this blood test they saw that it was effecting my muscles I hope this is of help to you!
normally practicing healthy lifestyle and good diet plan should able to keep your cholesterol at good level, but sometime it is possible because of your body metabolism not function properly. the best ways would be consulting your doctor.