What Can Cause A Sudden Increase In Cholesterol?

There is no need for a definition of cholesterol. As you all know, it’s a fat-like substance seen in the body’s cells. Cholesterol is an essential factor for the smooth functioning of the body. The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, cell membranes, etc.

The liver is the source where cholesterol produces. However certain factors can influence the cholesterol level in the body. It can change the count of total cholesterol and gradually it leads to several health issues. High cholesterol is harmful to the whole body. It increases the risk of cardiovascular health and other parts also.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that high cholesterol is considered as 200 milligrams per deciliter or more. On the other hand, a healthy cholesterol level is viewed as less than 200 milligrams per deciliter. 

Have you ever thought about what causes high cholesterol? In some cases, it may occur due to family inheritance. But in most cases, it happens due to bad lifestyles.

For people who are not aware of high cholesterol and the sudden cause behind the condition, reading the entire article will provide a better understanding of the mentioned.

What Is High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol is the excessive deposition of fat in the bloodstream and other parts. The two main sources of cholesterol in the body are,

• Through food consumption
• Cholesterol produced by the liver

Cholesterol is travelling through the blood in the form of part protein and part lipids. When the count of lipoprotein increases, it will start to affect your health. The main problem with high cholesterol is you can’t identify the condition through symptoms.

High cholesterol doesn’t cause any symptoms until it turns into a serious health condition. In some cases, symptoms are visible in the middle stage. But this may differ based on the structure of your body.

What Are The Reasons Behind A Sudden Increase In Cholesterol?

Some factors can bring an immediate effect on your cholesterol. They are,

• High coffee consumption

If you are a coffee lover, you should be aware of the cholesterol content in coffee. Caffeine is associated with spikes in high blood pressure. However, it can influence the cholesterol level in the body.

In 2018, researchers studied the impact of daily coffee consumption on young adults. The results showed that consuming an average of four espressos per day was associated with high-level cholesterol. The instant use of coffee increases low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the body.

The French press, Turkish coffee, and espresso are some of the most consumed coffees across the country. This will be visibly bad for your health. The oil compounds in the coffee can increase the bad cholesterol. 

• Stress

Don’t put yourself into trouble. Stress can influence your cholesterol level. If you are stressed, gradually the amount of cholesterol in the body increases.

A study in 2017 shows the association between stress and total cholesterol. Hormone cortisols are the reason for increasing bad cholesterol.

When you are stressed, your hormones produce higher cortisol which results in high cholesterol. The 2020 article reveals the connection between stress and the effects on the body due to high cholesterol.

• smoking

Smoking is another cause of raising your cholesterol level. Nicotine is harmful to your health. The nicotine content in cigarette and other tobacco products increase bad cholesterol. 

An article published in 2021 reveals the side effects of nicotine on health. When you smoke, high amounts of nicotine enter the bloodstream via the lungs. During the process, your body releases neurotransmitters called catecholamines.

The high level of catecholamines increases the bad cholesterol production in the body. In order to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, you have to quit smoking habits. 

• Medications

You may take regular medications for certain conditions. Some medications can badly influence your cholesterol level. Some the prescription drugs like danazol, retinoids, anticonvulsants, antiviral drugs, and interferons increase blood cholesterol levels.

The medications have the ability to alter lipid metabolism. Some medicines promote weight gain and this results in high cholesterol levels.

If you find any symptoms relating to high cholesterol, it’s better to talk with your doctor. They can determine the risk and after-effects of each medicine. If needed, the doctor can suggest you change the dosage or medications.

• Thyroid issues

If you have hypothyroidism, your total cholesterol can go up suddenly. Normally thyroid hormones help to remove excessive amounts of cholesterol from the blood.

But if you have an underactive thyroid, it can’t remove the extra cholesterol. The condition worsens your cholesterol level by increasing Low-density lipoprotein.

If you feel any symptoms relates to hypothyroidism such as dry skin, muscle weakness, fatigue, and aches, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Genetic therapy can help you to reduce high cholesterol.

• Excessive alcohol consumption

As you all know alcohol consumption is injurious to health. When it comes to cholesterol, a moderate level of alcohol consumption doesn’t affect your cholesterol.

But when it exceeds its limit, it will affect your liver, cardiovascular health, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

A recent study shows that people who drink heavily(more than 4 drinks at once)might have high cholesterol levels compared to others. It’s better to drink occasionally.

Occasional drinks help to increase your HDL  cholesterol. Keep remembering that one drink a day is better for women and two for men.

• Pregnancy

Cholesterol is an essential factor for healthy fetal growth and development. During pregnancy, your cholesterol level may increase for this purpose. But this will come to the normal stage within one month after birth.

This is a natural process. So you don’t need to worry about if it harms the baby or the mother. If you already have high cholesterol, you need to talk with your doctor to balance the cholesterol.

• High-sugar diet

When talking about cholesterol, people are much concerned about saturated fat. Because the main source of cholesterol production starts from the consumption of saturated fats. Too much sugar is also harmful to your health. Eating too much sugar produces more LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Triglycerides are similar to LDL.  Increased levels of triglycerides will lead to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.

Recent studies suggest that people who got 10% or more of their calories from added sugar have a low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

• Sitting

You may wonder how sitting can increase blood cholesterol levels. The truth is sitting for hours can badly affect your health. Sitting and blood cholesterol are interconnected.

Sitting for hours increase the chance of obesity, and heart disease and also influences high cholesterol. If you work in the IT field, you have to sit and work for hours. This results in an enzyme that turns into harmful LDL cholesterol. It’s better to take a walk for a 5-minute every hour. Sitting a lot is also harmful to your internal organs.

• quick weight loss

Sudden weight loss causes several risk factors. Rapid weight loss is considered one of the main causes of a sudden increase in cholesterol. According to researchers, low-calorie diets significantly change the metabolism.

When you are planning to follow a regular diet, it’s better to take suggestions from a healthcare professional. They can help you to follow a heart-healthy diet and it doesn’t cause any health problems. 2

019 research proved that quick loss weight results in forming high-level low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. 

• Type-2 diabetes 

Type-2 diabetes is another reason for the sudden increase in cholesterol. Too much sugar in the blood may attach to proteins. People who have type 2 diabetes have more dense LDL particles.

The high rate of LDL particles can build a blockage in your arteries. The plaque resists the flow of blood to the heart. Ultimately it results in heart disease. People who have type 2 diabetes have a small number of HDL (good cholesterol). 

What Can Cause High Cholesterol?

Many factors can increase cholesterol levels. Behavior related to lifestyles cause high cholesterol. Let’s look at some of the general causes that lead to high cholesterol. 

• Unhealthy foods

A healthy body needs to follow a proper diet. Diet is a weapon that resists you from several diseases. Unhealthy food habits cause high cholesterol. Especially foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat. Junk foods are rich in calories and the fat produced from foods stored in different parts of the body.

• Family history

For some people, cholesterol is inherited. This condition is called familial cholesterolemia. The child inherited high cholesterol either from one parent or both parents. When you have a family history of heart disease, consult a doctor and keep track of your cholesterol level.

• Age

Age is a factor that influences your high cholesterol.  As you grow older, your chance of getting cholesterol is high. Compared to women, men have a more chance of high cholesterol. High cholesterol gradually leads to cardiac risk factors. 

• Sex

Gender plays a vital role in cholesterol. As aforementioned, men have more possibility to diagnose with cholesterol than women.

• Ethnic group

 
You may confuse about how ethnic groups and cholesterol are interconnected. But you can not avoid this factor. People of Indian, Pakistani, and Srilankan descent are said to be at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion

High cholesterol is always a villain in people’s lives. You have to take the necessary measurements for solving the problem. Proper diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, and proper medication are some of the tips that you must follow for reducing your high cholesterol. Don’t panic. You can simply overcome this too.