Too much cholesterol means increased risk of heart attack and stroke, a reality that more and more patients are aware of. However, less is known about the link between “bad” cholesterol and thyroid disease. Thyroid treatment can normalize cholesterol levels or highlight dyslipidemia.
Fatty, fermented cheeses are our enemies in the fight against cholesterol PHOTO: Shutterstock
Endocrinologist Ruxandra Dobrescu explains on her social media account, in a series of posts dedicated to this topic, what cholesterol is and why we care about maintaining it in values that do not endanger our health, but also what is the connection with thyroid diseases.
“Cholesterol is a type of fat that our body needs to synthesize various substances that are useful for its proper functioning – for example, some hormones: cortisol, estradiol and testosterone. Problems arise when we have too much cholesterol! People with hypercholesterolemia have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, because this excess cholesterol deposits on the blood vessels, they narrow and become so constricted that not enough blood reaches the heart and brain. This is how heart attacks and strokes occur – when heart and brain cells start to die”explains Dr. Ruxandra Dobrescu.
Part of the cholesterol comes from what we eat, another part is synthesized in the liver, and if it is in optimal parameters we find out through blood tests that measure cholesterol and its fractions, HDL and LDL and triglycerides.
“LDL cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol, is dangerous when it is too high, because it predisposes to ischemic heart disease and stroke. HDL cholesterol, or “good” cholesterol, is good to be high, because it has a protective role. Triglycerides – they are also not good to be too high, because in excess they also lead to health problems”the doctor further explains.
Optimal values of LDL, HDL and triglycerides
For a healthy person without heart problems, says Dr. Dobrescu, total cholesterol should be below 200 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dl (and much lower in cardiac, diabetic, etc.) and triglycerides below 150 mg/dl.
“Careful! Apart from high cholesterol, there are other risk factors for heart disease that we have to take into account, for example smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and genetics.” warns the endocrinologist.
The doctor goes on to explain the connection between thyroid, cholesterol and coronary heart disease.
Thyroid hormones are essential for the proper functioning of metabolism in general, including cholesterol metabolism, the doctor says. In people with hypothyroidism, that is, with a deficiency of thyroid hormones, cholesterol is generally high, especially “bad” cholesterol, but also triglycerides, sometimes. “An untreated hypothyroidism contributes over time to atherosclerosis (that is, the deposition of cholesterol on the blood vessels), which leads, as we said yesterday, to ischemic heart disease, the risk of heart attack and stroke.” warns Dr. Ruxandra Dobrescu.
High cholesterol can be explained by a faulty lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, but also a predisposing genetic background. It is, however, important to check the thyroid as well.
“When we start treating hypothyroidism with thyroid hormones (Euthyrox or Accu-thyrox) cholesterol will also decrease. Sometimes the drop is so significant that cholesterol treatment will no longer be needed. Other times, the cholesterol will go down with the thyroid treatment, but it will still be high, in which case we will need to add cholesterol drugs (statins) to the treatment.”says the doctor. In people with hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, the exact opposite happens, with excess thyroid hormones leading to a lower level of cholesterol in the blood, which then returns to normal following treatment for the hyperthyroidism. This does not mean, the doctor points out, that the cholesterol increased due to the Thyrozol treatment, but that the hyperthyroidism was, in fact, hiding a high cholesterol, which became obvious in this context.
Lowering cholesterol is done by correcting the cause of the problem
The objective of lowering the cholesterol level to optimal values will be achieved by correcting the cause of the problem, explains endocrinologist Ruxandra Dobrescu.
“For example, if the main cause of excess cholesterol is a chaotic lifestyle and a poor diet, the most important thing we can do is to get our lives in order. Let’s start eating healthy, exercising and shedding excess pounds – and LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, will also decrease.
If we identify a deficiency of thyroid hormones, i.e. hypothyroidism, we start the treatment, don’t wait any longer! The longer we delay, the more we risk accumulating complications,” the doctor advises his patients.
When in the middle there are causes that cannot be corrected, such as in the case of familial dyslipidemias, the objective remains to control the effects, namely the lipid level, in order not to reach complications, and this can be achieved with the help of drugs to lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
“Many times these causes overlap and it is important to work on multiple levels to try to correct them! I mean, we take our pills BUT we also take care of what we eat!
And the first step is to replace the “bad” fats in food with healthier ones! What does this mean? That is, we replace fatty pork with leaner versions or better quality fats – for example beef or fish. We replace roasts with grills or steamed food. We replace fatty fermented cheeses with fresh cheeses that contain less fat. And we leave it easier with butter, heavy cream, whipped cream. We have many good sources of vegetable fats such as olive oil, avocados and nuts.” it is the doctor’s advice.
If we fail to understand on our own where the mistake is in the diet, it is appropriate to turn to a nutritionist, the doctor also points out.
