Fasting cholesterol of 7.5, how concerned should I be?

[Notfabulousatfourty]

So as my username suggests I am 40, I had my cholesterol tested a while back ( done after the proscribed fast) and I had a shock when it came back at 7.5!!

I don't smoke and rink in moderation, however I am overweight which I am working on (am 5'2'' and weight is 10st 131bs)

My diet is not that great, I don't eat any meat but have little self control with snacks, pastries and crisps. However I would have thought give. That I did fast it should not have been this high.

Does anyone ( Medics etc??) know whether I should be concerned about this to the point of requesting statins? There is strong history of heart disease ( deaths in 40's on my maternal grandmothers side, she also has previously very high BP and hypercholesteraemia which did not respond much to dietary changes. I also have an under active thyroid and I wonder if this is also a factor.

Any help or others experiences would be welcome. From what I have read I won't be able to reduce it more than about 1 point with diet alone so not sure if I need to think about statins.

Many Thanks

[marywine]

Don't panic. The potential damage by high cholesterol is only an unproved theory. However, orthodox medicine often put great emphasison it in order to promote statins. They aim to get your cholesterol down below any 'normal' level. This despite the fact that brains are mainly fat! Animal fats are not to be avoided. Vegetable (olive, sunflower, etc.) oil should not be used fo cooking - when these are brought to high temp. they createtransfatty acids, implicated in cancer. I suggest you emphasise a healthy diet and when you get next cholesterol check - ask for detail. Different types of cholesterol/levels, etc. Do your own research re: statins. As you probably know this is a controversial subject. There are published books by doctors who have taken and then rejected statins - but it needs to be your own research and your own decision. Best wishes.

[sanfairyanne]

is your underactive thyroid under control and is your vit d level high or low? there is a link to both vit d levels and hypo (which are themselves linked). have you asked the gp if it could be familial as well?

[Notfabulousatfourty]

Thank you for the replies.
I have done some general reading/ research on the subject, however I still feel none the wiser, and I have a health related degree and understand issues around research etc!!
It just seems that for every one person who says the is good solid evidence for statins there is another who totally disagrees and tries to debunk this.
The whole subject seems much more complex than just cholesterol is good or bad. However there does seems to a correlation between higher levels and incidence of heart disease.
I've been doing reading around non pharmacy ways to reduce levels and have decided to embark on a number of dietary changes / additions, eg some foods with plant phenols, porridge oats every morning, fish oils as a supplement and see what that does if anything in 6 months.
Thanks again