Find out your recommended cholesterol level. VLDL is created in your liver to carry triglycerides throughout your body. The triglycerides carried by VLDL are used by cells in the body for energy.
Eating more carbohydrates, or sugars, than you burn can lead to excessive amounts of triglycerides and high levels of VLDL in your blood. Extra triglycerides are stored in fat cells and released at a later time when needed for energy. High levels of triglycerides are linked to the buildup of hard deposits in your arteries.
These deposits are called plaques. Plaque buildup increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Experts believe this is due to:. High triglycerides are also associated with metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Some VLDL is cleared in the bloodstream. The rest is transformed into LDL by enzymes in the blood. LDL is largely made up of the following components by weight:. LDL carries cholesterol throughout your body. Too much cholesterol in your body leads to high LDL levels. High LDL levels are also associated with the buildup of plaque in your arteries. These deposits can eventually lead to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when deposits of plaque have hardened and narrowed the artery.
This increases your risk for having a heart attack and stroke. HDL takes excess cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body, but it can only do so much. VLDL is a type of lipoprotein cholesterol that the liver makes.
If the body has more VLDL than it needs, the surplus circulates in the blood, contributing to the buildup of plaque. Plaque is a fatty, sticky substance comprising fat, cholesterol, calcium , and other materials in the blood. Over time, it sticks to the inside of the arteries and then hardens, making them narrower. The term for this process is atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis stops the blood from being able to flow freely around the body.
Every cell needs a ready supply of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to survive. Therefore, high levels of VLDL can contribute to atherosclerosis, which can make a person more susceptible to heart disease or stroke. Measurements above this indicate high VLDL levels, which place the person at risk of heart disease and stroke.
Doctors can check VLDL levels as part of a test called a lipid profile. This blood test looks at the fats and the fat-like substances, or lipids, in the blood. It does not measure VLDL directly. Instead, it looks at the levels of triglycerides in the blood. Most of these triglycerides will be in the VLDL, which carries them to the cells. During this period, they should not eat anything and only drink water.
However, doctors may sometimes decide that this is not necessary. Therefore, a person can only find out whether they have high cholesterol by undergoing a lipid profile test. Many people will be able to lower their bad cholesterol by altering everyday habits. Adopting a heart healthy diet means avoiding foods that contain saturated and trans fats. These foods include:.
Learn more about how to adopt a cardiac diet here. Being physically active increases the amount of HDL, or good cholesterol, in the body.
The AHA say that people should aim to do at least minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise — such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling — each week, where possible. VLDL is a type of "bad cholesterol" because it helps cholesterol build up on the walls of arteries.
A blood sample is needed. Most of the time blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. You may have this test to help assess your risk for heart disease. Increased levels of VLDL are linked to atherosclerosis.
This condition can lead to coronary heart disease. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results. The examples above show the common measurements for results for these tests. Some laboratories use different measurements or may test different specimens.
A high VLDL cholesterol level may be associated with a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. However, VLDL cholesterol level is rarely targeted when treatment for high cholesterol is done. Instead, LDL cholesterol level is more often the main target of therapy. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other.
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