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Cholesterol is needed to help your body function, but sometimes, you can have too much of a good thing. A high level of cholesterol in your blood can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular (heart) disease, having a stroke or heart attack.

A health test can help you understand your levels of Cholesterol in your body. If you have too much, you can then make changes to your diet or lifestyle to bring it down to normal levels and reduce your risk of heart disease and associated conditions.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance, produced by the liver, that is used to build the membrane of healthy cells, create Vitamin D in your body and make hormones to keep your bones, teeth, and muscles healthy. Cholesterol can also be absorbed into the body through the food you eat.

There are two main types of Cholesterol, HDL (or High-density Lipoprotein) which is also known as ‘good cholesterol’, and LDL (or low-density Lipoprotein), which is commonly referred to as ‘bad cholesterol.

HDL, or ‘good cholesterol’, removes excess cholesterol from your body and delivers it to your liver where it can be processed and excreted, helping to keep your levels of bad cholesterol down (which can cause the walls of blood arteries to narrow). HDL is found in salmon, fresh fruit, dark chocolate, nuts, olive oil and chickpeas.

LDL, commonly known as the ‘bad cholesterol’, is the opposite of HDL. It deposits excess cholesterol onto the artery walls (and not to the liver), which can cause narrowing and reduced blood flow, and lead to heart disease, stroke and heart attack. LDL is found in red meat, fried foods, shellfish, butter, cheese, and milk.

What are the symptoms of high Cholesterol?

There are no symptoms of high Cholesterol until it is too late, which is why it’s important to get your cholesterol checked through a health test either from the comfort of your own home or with a convenient and fast private health test with a professional expert.

How do I get tested for Cholesterol?

You can measure Cholesterol and the levels in your blood with a simple blood test at home or with a professional expert. The blood test will test for and measure the number bio markers within your blood, with the results confirming whether you have high levels of Cholesterol or not.

You can also check whether your Cholesterol levels are decreasing through a blood test if you have been recommended to reduce your Cholesterol levels due to your lifestyle or family history.

The blood test to check your cholesterol levels tests for the following biomarkers:

High-density Lipoprotein (HDL)
High-density Lipoprotein, or HDL, is one of 5 lipoproteins that transport cholesterol around your body. HDL removes excess cholesterol from your body and delivers it to your liver where it can be processed and excreted, helping to keep your levels of bad cholesterol down (which can cause the walls of blood arteries to narrow). HDL is often called a ‘good cholesterol’ due to its function and ability to remove ‘bad cholesterol’ from the body.

Low-density Lipoprotein (LDL)
Low-density Lipoprotein, or LDL, is another lipoprotein that transports Cholesterol around the body, however it’s the complete opposite of HDL.  Low-density Lipoprotein is often called a ‘bad cholesterol’ as it deposits excess cholesterol onto the artery walls (and not to the liver). Adding cholesterol to the arteries can cause narrowing and reduced blood flow, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and heart attack.

Total Cholesterol
This biomarker measures the level of both types of cholesterol in your blood, LDL and HDL. A high total level can indicate an increased amount of LDL in your body which is not good for your health.

Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood and is the body’s main way of storing fat for energy. Your body makes triglycerides in your liver and it’s also found in meat, dairy or cooking oil products. High levels of triglycerides in your blood stream can be harmful to your health and lead to a risk of heart disease. Extremely high levels can also increase the risk of pancreatitis.

HDL Ratio of total cholesterol
This will provide you with a ratio of your levels of HDL as part of your total cholesterol level, indicating how much of your total level is ‘good’ cholesterol. You should be aiming for a higher ratio of HDL in your blood than LDL.

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Key points:

• You need Cholesterol to help your body function, but too much ‘bad cholesterol’ in your blood can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular (heart) disease, having a stroke or heart attack.
• There are no symptoms for high Cholesterol, which is why it’s important to get your cholesterol checked through a health test.
• It is possible to reduce High cholesterol through diet and lifestyle changes.

How a Sample is Taken

With most health tests, there are two options for taking a sample of blood, which is used to test for certain biomarkers. The two most common options are a finger-prick or venous draw:

Finger prick Draw:
Health Tests that take blood via the ‘finger-prick’ method are usually done within the comfort of your own home, enabling you to take a small amount of blood discreetly and conveniently when you want to.  

Venous Draw:
Once you have booked your health test, you’ll be sent the blood kit which includes all the equipment needed for a professional blood draw by an experienced healthcare professional, with clinics available across the UK to take your sample.

Details about which option is available for this health test, are available when you compare the results.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What causes high cholesterol?

  High cholesterol is caused by having too much ‘bad cholesterol’ or LDL; in your blood which can cause your arteries to narrow and reduce blood flow, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks. It’s mainly caused by lack of exercise, poor diet, being overweight or smoking. High cholesterol can also run in families.

• How can I lower High Cholestrol?

  It is possible to reduce High cholesterol through diet and lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier, exercising regularly and quit smoking. Regular health tests can also monitor your progress and see if the levels of ‘bad cholesterol’ in your blood are decreasing.

• What are the symptoms of High Cholesterol?

  High cholesterol does not cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have high levels of cholesterol from a blood test.

• How do you test for high cholesterol?

  You can measure Cholesterol and the levels in your blood with a simple blood test at home or with a professional expert. The blood test will test for and measure the number bio markers within your blood, with the results confirming whether you have high levels of Cholesterol or not.

• Can I get High Cholesterol if I’m vegan or vegetarian?

  High cholesterol is linked to diet and lifestyle, so anyone with a poor diet or lack of exercise can get high cholesterol. Faux meats, vegan cheeses, coconut, and palm oil are all high in saturated fat which can increase cholesterol levels, however some studies do show that vegans tend to have lower cholesterol than people on other diets.