Surely there is no person in society who does not know that the consumption of tobacco and alcohol is highly harmful to health , and even also for cholesterol levels . However, the majority of citizens in Spain drink and / or smoke.
Thus, cholesterol is an essential fatty substance for the body, since it is found in practically all the cells of the human body on. Although, when its levels are too high it can pose an important risk for health.
Mainly, within the body itself we distinguish between two types of cholesterol. On the one hand, there is HDL (good) cholesterol that is responsible for transporting said substance from the blood and tissues to the liver, which is responsible for eliminating cholesterol through the intestines.
For its part, LDL (bad) cholesterol transports cholesterol from the liver to tissues, such as the skin. The problem of this type is that at high levels it can accumulate on the walls of the blood vessels and impede blood flow.
Influence of tobacco on cholesterol
In most cases we focus on high cholesterol in the diet, both as a cause and as a treatment for its reduction method. That is, there are foods that contribute to its increase in blood and others that help as a treatment for a decrease to occur.
However, there are also other elements that are harmful to the body that can be harmful to cholesterol levels and. One of them is tobacco.
According to Viata Online Pharmacy, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease for a smoker is a 70% higher than for a non-smoker. A fatal aspect is that tobacco deteriorates the blood vessels and therefore causes the reduction of HDL (good) cholesterol.
Consequently, the reduction of HDL (good) cholesterol causes a Increase in the proportion of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood and consequently also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption must be understood from two perspectives. On the one hand, moderate alcohol consumption can increase the level of HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood, but an excessive intake can have very harmful consequences for the body.
Specifically, consumption High alcohol causes an increase in blood pressure and favors the release of a significant number of triglycerides in the blood.
In addition, drinking alcohol in large quantities can be harmful to the functioning of the liver, This being one of the organs most affected by this action.
Precisely, that alcohol damages the liver is the biggest problem for cholesterol levels, since if this organ does not work properly, can favor an increase in LDL.
All this is an important aspect for people’s health, since too high levels of LDL or too little HDL can increase the risk of stroke brain, coronary artery disease or heart attack.
Meanwhile , having high HDL cholesterol levels helps reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, to avoid this type of problem, it is important to reduce and eliminate as much as possible the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
The information presented in this publication does not in any way replace the from a medical specialist. Therefore, in case of any doubt or question, it is advisable to carry out the recommendations indicated by a specialist in the field.