HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl is a very important factor in protecting against health issues caused by increased cholesterol levels, such as cardiovascular disease and arthropathy in any part of the body.
The higher the level of HLD cholesterol the better. Find out detailed information about HDL cholesterol and its health benefits.
What does having an HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl mean?
Having HDL cholesterol levels above 60 mg/dl means that you have HDL levels are within the normal ranges. HDL cholesterol is also nicknamed the “good cholesterol”.
This is due to the important role it has in removing the harmful cholesterol from where it does not belong. In other terms, it reuses, recycles, and reduces levels of LDL cholesterol, by transporting it back to the liver where it is processed, and, therefore, HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl slows down the buildup of the atherosclerotic plaques within the walls of the coronary artery and in any other artery.
The level of 60 mg/dl serves as a borderline: under this level of HDL cholesterol, the risk of developing atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of the blood vessels increases.
Every health care provider is constantly urged to keep the levels of cholesterol as low as possible. Beware, do not be mistaken. HDL cholesterol is the “good” cholesterol. It should be kept at a higher level as possible.
HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl – What is the level of risk for cardiovascular disease?
HDL cholesterol level above 60mg/dl is a protective factor against cardiovascular diseases. The goal is to raise the level of HDL as much as you can.
Aiming HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl is just a guideline if you can get it even higher, all the better. The higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
If the levels of HLD cholesterol drop under 60 mg/dl, you need to consider some lifestyle changes in order to prevent the development of cardiovascular disease.
Some of the following lifestyle changes are: quitting smoking, losing weight, getting more physical activity, drinking alcohol only in moderation, and eating healthier fats (limit your daily intake of saturated fats to only 7% of your daily calories.
The maximal intake of your daily calories that comes from fats should be 25-30%).
HDL cholesterol level above 60 mg/dl – What is the risk of other health problems?
Having HDL cholesterol levels above 60 mg/dl diminishes the risk of developing atherosclerotic plaques not only in the coronary arteries but in every artery in the body. Even here is applied the same rule is: the higher the level of HDL cholesterol the better.
If it is not, other tests should be done to discover the source of the “abnormality” and certain measures, such as lifestyle changes and sometimes even taking medications, should be taken in order to prevent health issues and complications, such as cardiovascular events, occlusions of other significant arteries in the body, etc.
