What Are Some Possible Telling Symptoms of High Cholesterol?

Reviewed and approved by the doctor Gilberto Adaulfo Sánchez Abreu.

Written by Daniela Echeverri Castro

Last update: 30 May, 2022

After reaching the age of 20, it’s important to get periodic check-ups and tests done to make sure your cholesterol levels are safe and that you’re not at any risk.

Cholesterol is a type of fat present in all of the body’s cells that’s necessary for optimal bodily function. The liver secretes most of it, but it’s also absorbed by some foods that contain it.

Primarily, it’s designed to intervene in biliary acid formation. This acid is responsible for digesting fats. It’s also in charge of forming certain sexual and thyroid hormones.

But because so many organs need it, it can become a possible assassin when not appropriately controlled.

The biggest problem is that a lot of people right now are ignoring the fact that they have high cholesterol levels, which also happens with a lot of other diseases. At first, it could easily go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms. This could consequently create severe liver and cardiovascular problems.

Having high cholesterol may put you at a high risk of developing arteriosclerosis, which is when this and other lipids accumulate in artery walls, increasing your risk of inappropriate circulation.

Due to the dangers this entails, and how difficult it is to detect, you absolutely must know what the symptoms are to help keep you alert.

Possible high cholesterol symptoms

After turning 20, everyone needs to start getting medical checkups that include blood analyses to check cholesterol levels. This is important because it oftentimes takes a long time to develop symptoms of this condition, which makes it more difficult to control.

Currently, there’s no resounding symptom out there that helps identify that you’re at risk. However, experts have associated the recurrence of certain possible symptoms as being a risk of developing high cholesterol:

• Feeling of heaviness and pain in the liver and gallbladder.
• Cotton mouth, accompanied by bad breath.
• Heaviness in the stomach and difficulty carrying out certain digestive processes, especially when consuming high-fat foods.
• Belching, gas, and indigestion after eating.
• Difficulty with bowel movements with a tendency towards constipation.
• Urge to sleep after main meals.
• Hives or itchy skin.
• Headaches or migraines.
• Loss of balance and vertigo.
• Inflammation and numbness in the extremities.
• Vision problems.
• Agitation when moving or having to do physical activities.

This group of symptoms is generally confused with more common health conditions that could disappear spontaneously.

But if you don’t make sure that these problems are related to cholesterol, oftentimes this condition may worsen to a more serious level, causing damage that may be difficult or impossible to repair.

The good news is that you can reduce your risk of all of this with a normal blood test and by incorporating a few healthy habits into your life that may help naturally stabilize cholesterol and improve liver function.

How to help control cholesterol at home

Although in most cases you’ll need to take some sort of pharmaceutical medication to reduce high cholesterol, it has also been proven that not everyone needs to use them to balance their numbers.

Whether you take medication or not, it’s always best to avoid consuming foods that are high in fat and calories, such as:

• Cured meats.
• Red meats.
• Cold cut meats.
• Fast food.
• Pastries.
• Processed foods.
• Dairy cream.
• Butter and mayonnaise.
• Egg yolks.

Rather than consuming the aforementioned foods, you need to base your diet on highly nutritious foods, such as:

• Fresh fruits.
• Vegetables.
• Legumes.
• Whole grains.
• Low-fat dairy products.
• Olive oil.
• Lean meats.
• Oily fish.
• Chia seeds or linseed.

You should also change the way you cook your food. Avoid frying foods, and instead choose to bake without oil. Try to boil and grill your meals whenever possible.

Knowing just how dangerous this can be, it’s important that you improve your habits and do as much as possible to keep your numbers under control.

Although it may not seem to affect your health much at first, over time you may be more at risk, and high cholesterol will continue to change your body, leading to serious diseases later on. So be careful!