Thyroid has a cascading effect throughout your body including your cardiovascular system. Folks suffering from hypothyroidism have a high level of LDL( Bad cholesterol) thereby increasing the risk of heart disease. We are going to discuss the relationship between cholesterol & hypothyroidism in detail.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to make hormones & build cells among other vital functions. Your liver makes all the cholesterol our body needs. Our body also gets cholesterol from foods such as meat & full fat diary. There are two type of Cholesterol- high density lipoprotein (HDL) & low density lipoprotein (LDL)
HDL carries cholesterol from different parts of the body to the liver where it is broken down & removed from the body. LDL also known as bad cholesterol since high levels of LDL in your blood can plaque your arteries. This narrows your arteries & increases the risk of heart attack, stroke & peripheral artery disease.
For LDL particles to exit from the bloodstream through the liver, it requires thyroid hormone. If a person has low thyroid or hypothyroidism, it can lead to elevated LDL levels. Ideally your LDL levels should be less than 100 mg/dcl. 160 mg/dcl or more is considered high. Those having elevated LDL level should be tested for hypothyroidism & treated.
Besides being exposed to high risk of heart attack & stroke, high LDL level may also be associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Treating hypothyroidism with thyroid hormone can help lower cholesterol levels. However, there is a possibility that standard treatment may not be enough to keep all bodily system function normally. Lot of research has been conducted which has demonstrated that LDL level were not restored when people were normally treated for hypothyroidism. (Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August’2018)
How can you reduce cholesterol level when you have hypothyroidism & elevated LDL levels? Let’s dig out in detail
- Shed weight: Excess weight can lead to inflammation & would negatively impact metabolism including cholesterol level. Even 2 kg loss in weight is going to reduce the cholesterol levels.
- Regular workout: Regular workout can help clear lipid(LDL) from your bloodstream. Some people start with slow walking to increase their activity, but others can do high-intensity exercise. You need to structure & curate your workout based on your body needs & fitness goals.
- Improve your diet: A healthy diet rich in whole grains, fruits & vegetables, lean protein sources such as chicken breast, poultry, fish, nuts & low in saturated & trans fat can have considerable positive impact on your cholesterol levels. Junk food such as sodas, fast food, cakes, candies & cookies may increase your LDL levels. If your diet consists of these junk stuff, start making small changes in your diet. Though it is quite difficult to entirely change your food habits, but you still need to switch from an unhealthy to a healthy diet.
