Increased cholesterol is considered to be the cause of many serious diseases in the body, its biggest risk is seen in heart health. Health experts say that disturbances in diet and lifestyle can lead to the risk of increasing cholesterol levels, and even young people are at risk. It is important to make continuous efforts to keep the cholesterol level in the blood under control.
There are two types of cholesterol. Good (HDL) cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol. The biggest threat to health is due to an increase in LDL cholesterol. However, in a recent study, researchers have warned that too high levels of good cholesterol in the body can also be problematic. This can increase serious health problems related to the brain.
People with high HDL cholesterol have been shown to have an increased risk of dementia, a disease that affects memory, ability to deal with situations, and decision-making ability. This means that excess good cholesterol is also not good for health.
Excess of HDL cholesterol is also problematic
Research suggests that people with abnormally high levels of HDL cholesterol may be more likely to develop dementia. According to research conducted at Monash University in Australia, high HDL cholesterol was not very common among study participants, although a group of people with such a condition had a higher risk of developing mental disorders.
This research was conducted to understand the possible relationship between HDL cholesterol and dementia, with more than 18,000 participants aged 65 and older.
Risk of dementia
Dementia is a problem due to which a person's memory, thinking, and social abilities start decreasing significantly. Although dementia is not a specific disease, many mental illnesses can cause dementia. Due to this, mental health can also be negatively affected.
The study has been reported in The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific. HDL cholesterol levels greater than 80 mg/dL were considered high in the study. HDL cholesterol levels of 40 to 60 mg/dL for men and 50 to 60 mg/dL for women are considered healthy.
Risk of developing dementia
Researchers found that people with levels higher than 80 mg/dL may have a 27% higher risk of developing dementia. At the same time, in people aged 75 years or older who had very high HDL cholesterol levels, this risk was found to increase by 42%.
Monira Hussain, senior researcher at the Monash School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, says: “We know that HDL cholesterol is important for heart health. This study shows that too much of it can be problematic in terms of brain health. However, we need more research to understand this in more detail.
High HDL cholesterol is also harmful
Knowing very high HDL cholesterol levels may be helpful in algorithms for understanding dementia risks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 5.8 million people in the US have dementia and that number is at risk of increasing to 14 million by 2060. Studies show that excess cholesterol, be it HDL or LDL, can be harmful to the body, everyone needs to be aware of its risks.
(PC: Freepik)
