HDL CHOLESTEROL LEVEL BELOW 40
Description and Possible Medical Problems
The HDL part of the total cholesterol level is believed to be the primary protector against heart disease. It tends to be lower in men than in women and seems to be a problem especially in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
The HDL is the healthy cholesterol, and it should be high—that’s the “H” in HDL. Usually, a low HDL level is in itself very serious because when the HDL is low, the LDL tends to be high, resulting in a total cholesterol level that can be dangerously high.
Treatment
A low HDL level can be treated in the same way as a cholesterol level over 200: with diet, exercise, and perhaps medication. In older women, the use of an estrogen replacement therapy might be beneficial. In men, it’s particularly important to use exercise to help raise the HDL level. For both men and women, a low-fat, low-cholesterol lifestyle is imperative, since there is no medication that can raise the HDL to an acceptably high level.
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