Testing It Up

Cholesterol is an important building block of the body. The body needs it to perform certain functions. However, too much cholesterol in the body can lead to a number of serious ailments such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and Alzheimer’s.

It is important to monitor the levels of cholesterol in your body. You can do that by watching what you eat and by using various testing methods. Common methods used for testing cholesterol levels include laser eye cholesterol testing, which is a non-invasive method that measures cholesterol by how light is scattered from the eye surface. Another method is digital cholesterol testing, which is a portable blood testing system for complete lipid profiling. And yet another popular method is thin-layer chromatography, which is used to test cholesterol in food before you eat them.

High cholesterol levels in the body can be dangerous and must be treated immediately. It is important to consult a doctor to bring down your cholesterol levels and to stay healthy.

For full version of this article, please visit “Different Cholesterol Testing Methods“.

Researchers from Germany have reportedly identified 20 genes that play an important part in controlling cholesterol at the cellular level. This was explained in the July 8 issue of Cell Metabolism. Among these genes are some which may potentially play a role in the level of risk for heart disease and the development of new drug treatment options. These 20 genes, according to the researchers, may be “immediately relevant” in the maintenance of cholesterol levels in the cell as well as in controlling “the uptake of LDL cholesterol”.

These findings are significant as it is a widely known and accepted fact that high blood cholesterol levels are the culprit behind the development of cardiovascular diseases. Some of these diseases prove to be fatal to some patients; it is for this reason that the monitoring of cholesterol levels as well as activities that might lead to an increase in cholesterol levels is something that a lot of health-conscious people are engaged in.

The results of the study resulted in two-fold advantages; the identification of the genes may eventually lead to the development of more cholesterol-lowering drugs and treatments, as researchers believe that the genes have the potential to be utilized as such. Furthermore, new methods identified during the course of the study may be used in the identification of even more cholesterol genes.

The significance of the methods used in the study, which involved the use of integrated functional genomics that provided researchers with the ability to perform a functional analysis of a lot of genes at once, lies in the fact that this method is a more convenient way to identify more genes. It also a technique that can help researchers explain better the molecular roles that cholesterol regulators play as far as general health and the onset of disease is concerned.

If we were to consider cholesterol as a substance independently, then we will come to the realization that cholesterol is needed by the body. It is basically a fatty substance, called a lipid, produced by the liver and found in food high in saturated fats, such as fatty meat and egg yolks. It is actually an essential part of the structure and functioning of the cells.

So, why is it always associated with illness and things that are bad for the health? This is another case of anything in excess becomes harmful, even if inherently good. Cholesterol, while generally an important part of the body, can become harmful if there is too much of it in the body. The inability to control the rise of cholesterol levels in the blood may lead to a serious heart condition known as atherosclerosis.

Cholesterol levels in the blood may be determined by the kind of lifestyle a person leads. The normal culprits that contribute to a rise in cholesterol levels are eating food that is high in fat while at the same time failing to engage in enough exercise or physical activity. For some people, however, the problem is more genetic than it its environmental; there are people who are genetically pre-disposed to high blood cholesterol levels. This means that even if they lead healthy lifestyles – exercising regularly and eating healthy – they might still find suffer from elevated cholesterol levels.

While it is a given that everyone should effectively manage their cholesterol levels, there are certain people who should be more careful than others, such as those with a family history of early heart disease, those with high blood pressure, patients with diabetes and smokers. Your cholesterol levels along with your overall health profile will serve as your and your physician’s guide towards arriving at an appropriate cholesterol management plan for you.

High cholesterol levels are associated with an increase in the levels of LDL, or what is commonly known as “bad” cholesterol. This type of cholesterol contributes to the build up of plaque in the arteries, resulting in atherosclerosis.

The most recent clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics on cholesterol in childhood talks about the role of cholesterol testing in maintaining a child’s cardiovascular health. This report actually replaces a policy statement on the same concern that the Academy released in 1998. The new report was apparently prompted by the noticeable increase in childhood obesity, which eventually leads to other health concerns such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Further, the Academy’s concern also stems from the fact that research has indicated that over the past 40 years, the process of development of cardiovascular diseases in adults, which is the leading cause of death in the United States, seem to have come from conditions developed and acquired during childhood.

A suggestion presented in the report is to subject overweight or obese children from two years of age and above to cholesterol screening, specifically a fasting cholesterol test. Some people, parents especially, have reacted to the suggestion, especially since the test requires fasting for up to 14 hours before administration. This may be too difficult for a child of two to bear; couple that with the fact that the test will necessitate the drawing of blood and you have yourself a whole bloody mess, forgive the pun.

The recommendation is that children aged two and older who are overweight and have a history of heart disease in the family should be subjected to the fasting cholesterol test. And if the test results reveal that your child has high cholesterol, a prescription of cholesterol-lowering drugs may be given if he or she is 8 years and older.

Is this absolutely necessary? Maybe, maybe not. But what many parents would like to know are the options to lower cholesterol and prevent obesity other than simply pumping children with pills. Who knows, the solution to childhood obesity and high cholesterol may well be simply turning off the TV and taking away the Nintendos; whatever happened to a good old game of catch in the backyard? It may be time to rethink the activities that we let our children engage in and move on from there.