Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding CholesterolBorderline High CholesterolHigh CholesterolDiagnosisCausesTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Understanding Cholesterol
Borderline High Cholesterol
High Cholesterol
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
If you have high or borderline high cholesterol, you may be wondering how to keep yours low. Sometimeslifestyle modificationslike getting more exercise or managing stress can effectively improve your numbers. Other times, a statin or other prescription medication may be needed to get cholesterol at a desirable level.
High cholesterol can harm your health. It’s important to keep track of your cholesterol levels because you may not have anysymptomsuntil a serious problem occurs—like a heart attack or a stroke.
This article explains the causes of high cholesterol. It also discusses how to treat and prevent it.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Cholesterol is needed to produce hormones, digest food, and make vitamin D. Your body has two main types of cholesterol: LDL and HDL.
Your body also has other types of cholesterol in small amounts.
Your healthcare provider can measure yourtotal cholesterol level, as well as individual types.
The target level for a healthy adult is below 200 mg/dL.It’s much more common to have high levels than it is to have very low levels.
The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults aged 20 years and older with a low risk of high cholesterol have their cholesterol levels checked at least once every four to six years. People at high risk may need to have it checked more often.
A total cholesterol level between 200 mg/dL and 239 mg/dL is considered borderline high. Having borderline high cholesterol means you have slightly higher levels than normal, which increases your risk of cardiovascular problems.
Some health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, andhypothyroidismcan alter cholesterol levels, as can medications like birth control pills anddiuretics(aka water pills). If you have borderline high cholesterol, talk to your provider about what you can do to lower it. Factors you can control include following a diet low in saturated fat, exercising regularly, and not smoking.
What to Do if Your Cholesterol Is 220
High total cholesterol is any reading over 240 mg/dL. It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious problems.
High cholesterol can cause hardening of your arteries, the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. Cholesterol, fat, and other substances build up in the artery walls, forming a hard substance called plaque. As the plaque builds up, the arteries get narrower and can even become blocked, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other problems.
A high total cholesterol level or a high LDL level means a higher risk of heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, responsible for one out of every five deaths. In 2021 alone, about 695,000 people died from heart disease.
A lipid profile test measures several types of cholesterol. The simplest is total cholesterol, which includes the combined levels of LDL, HDL, and other types such asvery-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL).
According to current guidelines, target levels are:
If you’ve already had a lipid test and you’re not sure what the numbers mean, you can use our lipid test analyzer. Type your test results into the tool below. It can help you understand what your levels may mean for your health, so you can follow up with your healthcare provider if needed.
Your genes, your diet, and how much you exercise can all influence your cholesterol levels.
High cholesterol can harm young people, as well. Too much cholesterol in the blood can put children and teens at higher risk ofcoronary artery diseaseand other heart diseases.
About 1 in every 200 to 500 people have a condition calledfamilial hypercholesterolemia. This genetic condition can raise cholesterol levels to twice the normal level or even higher.
Bringing your cholesterol level into a healthy range is important for heart health. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, high total cholesterol levels are especially dangerous for people who smoke or have a family history of heart disease.
High cholesterol can also make some health conditions worse, including:
In most cases, changes in diet and increased exercise are the first steps for lowering high cholesterol levels. Health experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
High Cholesterol Diet: What to Eat and Avoid
Diet
What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Bread Regularly
Foods proven to reduce cholesterol, on the other hand, include:
8 Foods to Increase HDL Good Cholesterol
Medications
If lifestyle changes don’t lower your levels enough, your healthcare provider may prescribe a type of drug called astatin. Statins are the first-line medications used to reduce LDL and triglyceride levels and increase HDL levels.
Statins are the most widely prescribed class of cholesterol-lowering drugs. They limit the liver’s ability to make cholesterol.
These are examples of statin medications:
In addition to statins, some people with high cholesterol are also prescribed other cholesterol-lowering medications such asPCSK9 inhibitorslike Praluent (alirocumab), Repatha (evolocumab), and Leqvio (inclisiran); fibrates such as Antara (fenofibrate) and Lopid (gemfibrozil); orbile acid sequestrantslike Welchol (colesevelam) and Colestid (colestipol).
Statins can cause several uncomfortable side effects. Myalgia is the most common side effect, better known as muscle aches and pains. Statins can also cause altered liver enzymes and increase the risk of diabetes in some people.
If you take a statin and experience side effects, ask your doctor if switching to a different statin may help. People who experience side effects on one type of statin may not have side effects on a different one.
The Benefits and Risks of Cholesterol Medication
Summary
Your body needs cholesterol to carry out important functions. But if your total or LDL cholesterol levels are too high, you’re at risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.
A blood test can tell you how high your levels are. Desirable total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL. Aim for an LDL level under 100 mg/dL and an HDL level of 40 mg/dL or higher. Your triglyceride level should be under 150 mg/dL.
If your test shows that you need to bring these numbers down, try to get 150 minutes of exercise each week and cut out high-fat, highly processed foods. Your healthcare provider may recommend medication if these steps aren’t effective enough.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.High cholesterol.MedlinePlus.High blood cholesterol levels.American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol levels: what you need to know.UpToDate.Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Heart disease facts.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity.MedlinePlus.High cholesterol in children and teens.Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation.Surprising familial hypercholesterolemia statistics.American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes for heart attack prevention.Harvard Health Publishing.How it’s made: cholesterol production in the body.Harvard Health Publishing.11 foods that lower cholesterol.American Heart Association.Cholesterol medications.Ramkumar S, Raghunath A, Raghunath S.Statin therapy: Review of safety and potential side effects.Acta Cardiol Sin. 2016;32(6):631-639. doi:10.6515/acs20160611aAdditional ReadingAmerican Heart Association.Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease. National Center for Health Statistics.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Family Physicians.High cholesterol.MedlinePlus.High blood cholesterol levels.American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol levels: what you need to know.UpToDate.Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Heart disease facts.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity.MedlinePlus.High cholesterol in children and teens.Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation.Surprising familial hypercholesterolemia statistics.American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes for heart attack prevention.Harvard Health Publishing.How it’s made: cholesterol production in the body.Harvard Health Publishing.11 foods that lower cholesterol.American Heart Association.Cholesterol medications.Ramkumar S, Raghunath A, Raghunath S.Statin therapy: Review of safety and potential side effects.Acta Cardiol Sin. 2016;32(6):631-639. doi:10.6515/acs20160611aAdditional ReadingAmerican Heart Association.Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease. National Center for Health Statistics.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Family Physicians.High cholesterol.MedlinePlus.High blood cholesterol levels.American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.MedlinePlus.Cholesterol levels: what you need to know.UpToDate.Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Heart disease facts.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity.MedlinePlus.High cholesterol in children and teens.Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation.Surprising familial hypercholesterolemia statistics.American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes for heart attack prevention.Harvard Health Publishing.How it’s made: cholesterol production in the body.Harvard Health Publishing.11 foods that lower cholesterol.American Heart Association.Cholesterol medications.Ramkumar S, Raghunath A, Raghunath S.Statin therapy: Review of safety and potential side effects.Acta Cardiol Sin. 2016;32(6):631-639. doi:10.6515/acs20160611a
American Academy of Family Physicians.High cholesterol.
MedlinePlus.High blood cholesterol levels.
American Heart Association.How to get your cholesterol tested.
MedlinePlus.Cholesterol levels: what you need to know.
UpToDate.Patient education: High cholesterol and lipids (Beyond the Basics).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Heart disease facts.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Overweight and obesity.
MedlinePlus.High cholesterol in children and teens.
Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation.Surprising familial hypercholesterolemia statistics.
American Heart Association.Lifestyle changes for heart attack prevention.
Harvard Health Publishing.How it’s made: cholesterol production in the body.
Harvard Health Publishing.11 foods that lower cholesterol.
American Heart Association.Cholesterol medications.
Ramkumar S, Raghunath A, Raghunath S.Statin therapy: Review of safety and potential side effects.Acta Cardiol Sin. 2016;32(6):631-639. doi:10.6515/acs20160611a
American Heart Association.Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease. National Center for Health Statistics.
American Heart Association.Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart disease. National Center for Health Statistics.
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