LDL cholesterol level 139-159 mg/dl is considered as borderline high cholesterol. In this range are including following LDL cholesterol levels of 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158.
They are associated with a more than average risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other health issues such are peripheral arterial disease and stroke.
This is due to the buildup of the plaques in the walls of the arteries. The causes of such LDL levels are diet, physical activity, weight, heredity, age, and gender. All of them are going to be explained in detail in the following paragraphs.
What does having an LDL level of 139-159 mg/dl mean?
LDL cholesterol is also considered “bad cholesterol”. The risk of various health issues increases if having increased levels of LDL cholesterol.
LDL level 139-159 mg/dl is considered borderline high. This means that LDL levels are somewhere in the middle of the line that connects near-optimal LDL levels and high LDL levels.
LDL cholesterol level 130-159 mg/dl -The risk for cardiovascular problems?
LDL cholesterol level of 130-159 mg/dl is associated with an above than average risk of developing cardiovascular problems. In fact, the higher the LDL cholesterol levels the greater the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Increased LDL cholesterol levels can cause the buildup of plaques in the walls of the arteries. These plaques are thick, and hard and can clog your arteries like a blocked pipe, causing the reduction or blockage of the blood flow that supplies the heart muscle with blood.
Less blood means less oxygen and less oxygen means less feeding of the heart muscle. And, therefore, the heart muscle becomes weak and damaged and if not intervened on time, can die causing an acute myocardial infarction which can even lead to death.
LDL cholesterol level 130-159 mg/dl and the risk for any other health problems?
LDL cholesterol level 130-159 mg/dl is associated with a more than average risk of developing other health complications, apart from cardiovascular disease.
a. Peripheral arterial disease – It occurs with the same mechanism as a cardiovascular disease: Increased LDL levels cause the buildup of plaques in the walls of every peripheral artery, causing different symptoms, according to the place of the blockage.
b. Strokes – It is due to a complete blockage of a brain artery due to the buildup of one or more plaques.
LDL cholesterol level 130-159 mg/dl – Controllable and Uncontrollable Causes
LDL cholesterol level of 130-159 mg/dl may be due to various conditions. The most often causes are as follows:
I. Controllable Causes:
· Diet – The saturated fats and the cholesterol in the food we eat can increase the levels of LDL cholesterol. The main problem is saturated fats.
· Weight – Being overweight not only is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but it also can increase your levels of LDL cholesterol and decreases the levels of HDL. Losing weight would improve your lipid profile.
· Physical activity – Physical activity lowers your LDL levels, makes you lose weight, and increases your HDL “good” cholesterol levels.
II. Uncontrollable Causes:
- Age and gender – The levels of LDL cholesterol tend to increase with old age. Before menopause, women have lower LDL levels than men of the same age. After menopause, the levels of LDL cholesterol tend to rise and equal the LDL levels of men.
- Heredity – Your genes partly determine how much cholesterol your body will make. Increased LDL cholesterol levels can run in families.
