Higher cholesterol in menopause

[Joy69]

Hi has anyone noticed that their cholesterol levels have gone up in menopause?
I'm eating less fat than ever, exercise & it's still going up!

No.

Why are you having it tested regularly anyway?

Most people don't unless there is an existing problem.

Yes, same! I have a healthy diet, exercise a lot etc and have never had a cholesterol problem until menopause. I'm literally WTF?!!

Yeah
Mines now 6
Can't take statins - caused really bad muscle pains
So I'm taking oral plant sterols and using pro activ milk
I'm also trying to lose weight (hollow laughter..)

@JinglingSpringbells

Here you go:

As women enter menopause, cholestrol levels jump—by an average of 10-15%, or about 10 to 20 milligrams per deciliter. (A healthy adult cholesterol range is 125-200 milligrams per deciliter, according to the National Library of Medicine.)21 Sept 2022

Mine has gone up since perimenopause. 5 years ago age 41 it was in whatever is the "healthy" range and now it's 7.2. LDL is below whatever is the healthy limit for that but HDL is too high so overall is too high as well.

I cook everything from scratch and don't eat lots of fatty foods so I think it is to do with menopause. Still need to get it under control though.

My cardiologist put me on the portfolio diet, a cholesterol-lowering diet. And told me to stay clear of saturated fats, so most animal products are gone.

OP still hasn't said why she's being tested.

Most people only have this done every few years (if at all - I've never been invited for a test but had one privately) unless they are having other medical issues.

Yes, this has happened to me. Am trying to manage it through diet & exercise, but my diet has been good anyway.

There was a bit in the Times about it this Saturday - a combination of family history of high cholesterol and menopause can make levels jump in your late 40s/ 50s.

Yes, @hettiethehare I have an annual physical and mine’s crept up in the last two years ( I’m 48). My doctor says it’s largely genetic-i should watch my diet and keep up the exercise ( which I enjoy), but ultimately, my genes are part of the problem. 😂

A male friend has been on statins since his 20’s, despite being an athlete, he’s always been on a sports team, even though he’s in his 50’s now. It runs on his family, unfortunately.

Yes - I have an annual bank of bloodtests through medichecks (not usual in the UK, indeed, but that says more about NHS finances than about what's best for an individual) which lets me see my LDL has been trending gently upwards for years (I'm in my late 50s).

However, my HDL ("good cholesterol") is also high by a bigger factor so my total cholesterol: HDL number is better than fine, and as that ratio is the only cholesterol number that goes into the qrisk estimator:
qrisk.org/2017/
and all my other stats are good, I actually come out with a lower 10-year risk of heart disease/stroke than the standard for my age/sex/ethnicity. I'll take it!

In any case, I already follow as much of the cholesterol-lowering advice as I'm willing to - my diet is pretty Mediterranean as it is, and I'm not willing to give up full fat dairy products completely.

For me, the benefit of doing the tests every year, while I'm well, is that if in the future I have tests because I'm ill, I'll be able to see the difference between things that are newly out of range and things that have always been a bit off in me. Ymmv.

Estrogen can have a protective effect in keeping cholesterol levels low which can then rise with menopause. Some medications can also cause cholesterol levels to rise. I get regular monitoring for something I'm taking. If this is the case with you OP and depending on the levels this would be something to discuss with your Dr./consultant.

As an aside, many studies show that HRT improves the levels of HDL in the blood (only transdermal though- not tablets.)

There is also a school of thought which says that it's not fat in the diet that causes inflammation and furring up of blood vessels, but sugar/ refined carbs.

There's a lot of controversy over the whole diet/ animal fat/ cholesterol relationship.

Yes definitely went from low to high enough to be referred to the lipid clinic in a couple of years. Probably menopause and familial high cholesterol

Op, I have noticed the same. I exercise, eat very healthily and my HDL and LDL have been rising. Interestingly my triglycerides have remained nice and low.

Mine has gone up. It was up to nine when I had a blood test six months ago. HDL was good, however.

Yes - mine has gone up and I've just started on statins.

I've eaten incredibly healthily, exercised every day and generally taken care of myself for the last 10 months, including losing 3 stone, and my cholesterol still went up.

I'm through the menopause and have no menopausal effects other than potentially this.

Bit miffed tbh...

Yes, it’s a menopause effect. Mine shot up to 8 and I’m referred to the lipid clinic. I’m vegan and fit and slim.

Yep, mine has gone up too since menopause. My gp does routine blood tests and for the last few years my cholesterol level has been higher, have always followed a low fat diet, suspect it's familial. Am considering asking for statins.

Just correcting my post. It was 8.1 in the September test (non fasting) and today's result is 7.9 (fasting). It's definitely higher than it used to be (was under seven).

I do have a family history of high cholesterol & am very aware of it. Because of this I have a low fat diet ( virtually vegan) and have been a vegetarian since I was 11. I generally cook from scratch & exercise a lot
Since menopause it seems to have jumped up which is why I asked the question. I've started on the cholesterol lowering drinks & will get retested. I'm not overly keen on statins, but if I can't get my readings down I may have to bite the bullet.
Thanks for everyones replies.

This is an extract of the Portfolio diet ccs.ca/app/uploads/2020/11/Portfolio_Diet_Scroll_editable_eng.pdf in a clinic trial it was a good as statins.

It's so frustrating when you feel like you're doing all the right things and it's still high. All the problems of the high cholesterol and not even having enjoyed all the yummy unhealthy foods.

I am 59 and my periods stopped age 56. Since then my cholesterol has gone up. However in the past twelve months I have reintroduced light soya milk instead of light almond milk plus started taking an Asda cholesterol drink
after breakfast. I have also started eating way more vegetarian food dinners. I eat red meat once a week and chicken once a week. The other five days I make vegetarian bean dishes loosely based on Jack Monroe recipes. I also started taking odour free high strength garlic capsules.

My cholesterol is much better now ie only 6.2 per cent risk the GP said the other week. The Nhs only recommends statins if we are 10 per cent risk or more.

I have also lost half a stone since the last annual cholesterol check from doing more walking and less car use. This has all helped.

My family history on my dad's side is riddled with heart attacks and high cholesterol readings so it just goes to show an improved lifestyle change can work wonders!

Sorry so long a reply but hope this helps people.

Mine was fine, then increased and dropped again after I started HRT.
I see a cardiologist every two years (family history of heart attacks, five generations) and he prescribed a heart scan when I said that I wanted to take HRT, after consulting with the cardiologist who follows up on women.
Currently off HRT after what I presume is an oestrogen surge (?). Unsure as to what to do now.