Pregnancy
Elevated cholesterol levels are not uncommon during pregnancy. Changes in hormone concentrations cause the cholesterol level, as well as the triglycerides, to rise significantly. This is especially true in the case of familial hypercholesterolemia.
Up to now, the drug treatment of high blood lipid levels during pregnancy has been the subject of discussion. It is also unclear whether hypercholesterolemia can cause possible harm to the child. The use of most cholesterol-lowering drugs is not recommended during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
These include statins, nicotinic acid, ezetimib and fibrates. If possible, such therapy should be discontinued one to three months before conception. Therapy with anion exchange resins, on the other hand, represents a possible alternative.
Nutrition
Cholesterol levels can be lowered not only through physical activity and weight loss, but above all through a healthy diet. An important role plays the quantity of supplied fats and the choice of the correct fatty acids. In general it applies that the daily supplied energy quantity should consist of half of carbohydrates, 30 per cent of fats and 20 per cent of proteins.
Converted this corresponds to a weight of 70 to 90 grams of fat. About half of this should contain “good” fatty acids. The other half can be supplied in the form of saturated and trans fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in sausage, cheese and baked goods. Trans fatty acids are also known as “hardened” fatty acids and are found in industrially produced products such as puff pastry, frying fats, sweet spreads and snacks. The “bad” fatty acids, which are also contained in palm and coconut fat, contribute to an increase in LDL cholesterol.
The daily intake should be kept as low as possible. A low-fat preparation of food also helps here. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids have a positive influence on the fat metabolism.
They help to lower the cholesterol level. They occur naturally above all in fish and vegetable fats. Beside olive and rapeseed oil in particular flax, grape core, walnut and sunflower oil possess a high portion of several times insatiated fatty acids.