Cholesterol in women and men by age: table
Cholesterol is called one of the types of fats, namely fatty alcohol, produced in the human body.
It is this substance, entering the cell wall, maintains its stability, allowing for a normal exchange between the cell and the intercellular fluid;he also has other functions.
Like all substances in the body, cholesterol in the body must be a certain amount. Its excess, in view of the specific properties of the substance, can not so easily dissolve in the blood and be excreted through the kidneys or liver - it can be deposited on the walls of the vessels, narrowing their lumen and forming the threat of becoming embolus.
In this article we will consider the norm of cholesterol in the blood of men and women, including after 50 years. More detailed indicators depending on age are presented hardly more low.
| Indicator | Normal in men, mmol / L | Normal in women, mmol / l |
| Cholesterol total | 3,6-5,2 | 3,6-5,2 |
| Low-density lipoprotein( LDL) | 2,25-4, 82 | up to 3.5 |
| "Good" cholesterol( HDL) | 0,7-1,7 | 0,9-1,9 |
| Triglycerides | up to 2,2 | up to 2,2 |
The above average cholesterol values forwomen and men. It is known that with age, the index of total cholesterol, as well as low-density lipoproteins increases.
Blood cholesterol level in women, data depending on age:
- 20 years: 3,11 - 5,17
- 30 years: 3,32 - 5,75
- 40 years: 3,63 - 6,27
- 50 years: 4,0 - 7,38
- 60 years: 4,4 - 7,7
- 70 years: 4,48 - 7,82
It is seen that in women from 40 to 50 years the maximum cholesterol is considered to be 6.27 - 6, 86 mmol / l, from 50 to 60 years - 7.38-7.77 mmol / l.
What influences the concentration of blood cholesterol
Increases cholesterol use of such products: brain, kidney;yolk;fish eggs;crayfish;butter;meat( especially pork);birds( especially ducks).
Elevated levels are also possible with:
- atherosclerosis;
- pregnancy;
- smoking;
- enhanced adrenal function;
- reduced thyroid function;
- mechanical jaundice;
- nephrotic syndrome, observed with kidney disease;
- diabetes mellitus;
- obesity;
- chronic alcoholism;
- chronic hepatitis;
- of liver cirrhosis.
Elevated amounts of cholesterol increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, especially coronary heart disease and atherosclerotic cerebral vascular disease.
To reduce it you need:
- to go in for sports;
- to give up alcohol and smoking;
- consume more plant foods;
- is a food rich in lecithin, choline, methionine( cottage cheese, dairy products);
- keeps track of its weight.
A reduced amount of cholesterol can be found in such cases:
- abnormal thyroid function;
- jaundice, which develops when the outflow of bile in the ducts is violated by overlapping them with stones, swelling, adhesions, inflammation;
- malignant tumors;
- intoxication, especially caused by infectious agents;
- burns large in area;
- acute hepatic impairment;
- acute hepatitis;
- acute inflammation of the pancreas;
- extensive inflammation of the lung tissue;
- sarcoidosis;
- tuberculosis.
Read also: the causes and treatment of increased cholesterol, and how to lower cholesterol at home.
A woman lack of cholesterol leads to a violation of menstrual function, until the disappearance of menstruation, avitaminosis. With a decrease in the concentration of cholesterol in a man, his emotional state suffers( apathy develops, irritability develops), fatigue increases and work capacity decreases.
Thus, cholesterol is a compound necessary for the vital activity of the human body, only a part of its concentration depends on the products consumed by man. Only a small amount of it is in the blood in a free state, the rest is associated with blood proteins, forming both atherogenic( capable of causing atherosclerosis) and anti-atherogenic complexes.
A significant increase in the number of both one and the other lipoproteins badly affects human health.
Cholesterol synthesis and functions
Cholesterol is a specific alcohol that can dissolve in fats and some organic solvents, but is completely insoluble in water.
Only a fifth of the total cholesterol comes to a person with food, while the remaining 4/5 are formed in the endoplasmic network of liver cells, gonads, kidneys and adrenals, as well as the intestines.
Cholesterol functions:
- 1) Regulates the density of phospholipids - the main constituent parts of all cellular membranes that are fat-soluble compounds. Thus, the permeability and fluidity of the cell wall is formed;
- 2) It is the basis for vitamin D;
- 3) Participates in the formation of male( testosterone), female( estrogen, progesterone) genital, as well as "common" non-sexual hormones( aldosterone, cortisol and others);
- 4) Is a "base" for the formation of bile acids.
The property of regulating the density of the cell membrane is very necessary. In particular, being in the erythrocyte wall, it protects the contents of the cell from the action of hemolytic poisons.
Cholesterol can not be delivered by itself, because it is not soluble in the liquid. Therefore, for delivery to the tissues of the body, it needs to connect with specific carrier proteins that have different properties. Such a complex will be called lipoprotein( lipoprotein).
Lipoproteins have varying degrees of density of their compound with cholesterol. There are high-density lipoproteins, the protein of which very well captures this fat-soluble alcohol, and fuses with it. In view of its properties, this complex prevents the deposition of atherosclerotic plaques on the vessel walls, therefore it is called "good cholesterol."
There are also complexes in which the protein and cholesterol are spliced very loosely, and therefore the latter falls out of the compounds, settles on the wall of the vessels, forming an atherosclerotic plaque. Such lipoproteins are called "low density" and "very low density", the popular name is "bad cholesterol".
The process of formation of atherosclerotic plaques is caused not so much by the presence of the "bad" cholesterol as by the ratio of the level of total cholesterol and high-density lipoproteins: the less the latter, the chance to "get" atherosclerosis is higher.
See also: atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.
Cholesterol in women and men: table
The concentration of fatty alcohol called "cholesterol" in the blood has both gender and ethnic differences. So, the inhabitants of some countries of the East( India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), the level of cholesterol is higher than that of residents of other countries.
If you want to accurately check if your cholesterol level is increased, then it is possible to do it only with the help of analysis. In the results of the biochemical blood test, three indicators for total cholesterol, HDL and LDL will be indicated. The norms for each indicator differ, and now the norms for people of different ages, as well as individual cholesterol norms in women and men, including after 50 years, began to be differentiated.
It is worthwhile to know that there is no exact figure indicating the norm of cholesterol in the blood. There are only recommendations, in what range should cholesterol be in a healthy person, a deviation from this value in any direction can be the result of a certain malfunction in the body.
Cholesterol rates are indicated in the table: