Cholesterol IQ

(Berkeley Wellness)
You may know your cholesterol numbers, but what do you really know about blood cholesterol? See how you do on this pop quiz.

1. If you’re 35 years old, do you need to have your cholesterol measured?

2. Do you need to fast for the test?

3. Do your LDL (“bad”) and HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels add up to your total cholesterol?

4. At what point is high HDL cholesterol too much of a good thing?

5. Is there any way to burn off cholesterol?

6. Do any food labels list good and bad cholesterol?

Answers

1. Yes. Everyone over 20 should have it measured at least once every five years. There is no upper age limit.

2. Yes, you should. Though you need not fast to get your total cholesterol number, to measure LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (fats in blood) you need to fast for 12 hours.

3. No. There’s still another type of cholesterol “package,” called VLDL, that is included in the total number.

4. There is no upper limit. Anything over 60 milligrams/deciliter (1.6 millimoles/liter in Canada and elsewhere) is considered protective. Under 40 mg/dl (1.0 mmol/L) is a coronary risk factor for men; under 50 mg/dl (1.3 mmol/L), for women.

5. No. Unlike fat, it can’t be burned for energy.

6. The cholesterol that we eat is simply cholesterol—you don’t consume the “good’ or “bad” kinds. HDL and LDL are cholesterol “packages” made in the body. Dietary cholesterol comes only from animal products, notably meats and dairy products. The liver also makes cholesterol. Saturated fats (found chiefly in animal products) and trans fats (in many processed foods) raise LDL cholesterol levels even more than dietary cholesterol does.