Summary
Overview
This special bonus episode focuses on heart health and cholesterol, particularly for women in midlife. Registered dietitian Lynn Garton from Heart UK explains what cholesterol is, why it matters, and how menopause affects cholesterol levels. The conversation covers the importance of testing, understanding different types of cholesterol, and practical dietary changes that can make a real difference, including the role of products containing plant stanols like Benicol.
Understanding Cholesterol and Its Silent Danger
Lynn Garton explains that cholesterol is an essential fat needed for healthy cells, hormones, and digestion, but too much in the blood can be dangerous. The critical issue is that cholesterol builds up silently over decades, forming plaques in arteries that can eventually lead to heart attacks or strokes. This process takes 20 to 40 years, which is why early testing and intervention are crucial, even when you feel perfectly healthy.
- Cholesterol is essential for life, needed for healthy cells, hormones, vitamins, and bile for digestion
- Too much cholesterol builds up in artery walls forming plaques that can narrow or block arteries
- The buildup process takes 20-40 years, happening silently with no symptoms you can feel
- This is why getting a cholesterol test and knowing your number is so important
" By the time something like a heart attack has happened, that is 20, 30, 40 years in the making, which is why it's so important to keep your cholesterol lower for longer. "
Menopause and Cholesterol: The Hormonal Connection
When it comes to menopause and cholesterol, hormones play a significant role. Before menopause, estrogen provides protection for cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. However, during menopause when estrogen drops, cholesterol rises. The situation is more complex than it appears because while LDL (bad) cholesterol increases, HDL (good) cholesterol can also rise, but when HDL gets too high, it can actually lose its protective properties.
- Before menopause, estrogen is generally protective of cholesterol and the heart
- During menopause when estrogen drops, cholesterol levels go up
- LDL cholesterol (carried by low-density lipoprotein) is considered bad because it deposits cholesterol in artery walls
- HDL cholesterol (carried by high-density lipoprotein) is usually good because it removes cholesterol, but too much can lose protective properties
- The focus should always be on lowering LDL cholesterol, not just celebrating high HDL
" When it comes to cholesterol and the menopause, hormones play a role. So before the menopause, oestrogen is generally protective of cholesterol and of the heart and the blood vessels. "
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