The "blood lipid" indicators on the physical examination report

Author: Cui Yihui, registered dietitian, master of medicine

Reviewer: Wang Junbo, Associate Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University Health Science Center

Triglycerides and cholesterol in the "fat family" are the most likely indicators to show abnormalities during physical examinations. As basic nutrients, these two members are "controversial". Although they do have a pleasing side, if you can't control your mouth and can't move your legs, they will be stored more and more in the body, which is really worrying. In this article, let's talk about the "concerns" that fat brings to our health, and also let you understand the meaning of the "blood lipid" indicators on your physical examination report.

●How do triglycerides and cholesterol “flow” in the body?

After triglycerides and cholesterol are synthesized in the liver, they must be transported by blood to reach the tissues and cells throughout the body to play a role. So here comes the question! The main component of blood is water, while triglycerides and cholesterol belong to lipids. These two substances are insoluble. How can fat be transported through blood? This is equivalent to triglycerides and cholesterol not being able to "swim", so how can they "flow" with the blood?

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The answer is actually not difficult. As long as there is a "ship" in the blood that can carry them! The "ship" that specifically transports triglycerides and cholesterol is called apolipoprotein.

Now you understand that triglycerides and cholesterol do not flow in the blood by "swimming" on their own, but rely on certain water-soluble proteins (the "boats" mentioned earlier) to flow in the blood in the form of lipoproteins.

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●Classification of lipoproteins

Just as "ships" can be large or small, the density of lipoproteins flowing in the blood can also be high or low. Lipoproteins are divided into four types according to their density.

➣Chylome (abbreviated as CM on the medical examination report)

➣High-density lipoprotein (abbreviated as HDL on the physical examination report)

➣Low-density lipoprotein (abbreviated as LDL on the physical examination report)

➣ Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL in the medical examination report )

Chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins are relatively "easy to deal with". Their basic job is to transport triglycerides. The former is responsible for transporting triglycerides eaten (such as foods containing animal fat), and the latter is responsible for transporting triglycerides synthesized by the liver in the body (if the energy is not consumed, the body will convert the excess energy into triglycerides, and eventually convert them into subcutaneous fat and visceral fat for storage).

● “Good” lipoproteins and “bad” lipoproteins

What we need to focus on are high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein. This pair of "lively treasures" are not so worry-free. The two are like "natural enemies" and their effects are just opposite.

High-density lipoprotein has high density and small size, and can freely enter and exit the blood vessel wall. With this characteristic, high-density lipoprotein is like a "garbage collection ship", drifting in the blood, and at the same time, it can recycle excess cholesterol in the arteries and cholesterol attached to the blood vessel walls to its own "ship", transport them back to the liver and metabolize them. In this way, cholesterol is not easy to deposit on the blood vessel wall. Therefore, high-density lipoprotein in serum helps prevent arteriosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein is responsible for transporting cholesterol synthesized by the liver to cells and tissues for the synthesis of cells, sex hormones and other substances.

Note: LDL. Low-density lipoprotein; HDL. High-density lipoprotein

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To summarize their functions in one sentence: high-density lipoprotein is responsible for recycling cholesterol from the periphery to the liver, and low-density lipoprotein is responsible for transporting cholesterol from the liver to the periphery.

High-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein have opposite effects, and they are incompatible in the blood. When the dietary intake of cholesterol is excessive, the number of low-density lipoproteins responsible for transporting it will increase significantly, thereby reducing the number of high-density lipoproteins.

From the perspective of vascular health and prevention of arteriosclerosis, high-density lipoprotein is a popular "good" lipoprotein. A large amount of it can provide more protection for vascular health and prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein is an unwelcome "bad" lipoprotein. We do not want to see it exceed the standard during physical examinations. A lower content of it will give the blood vessels a "sense of security."

●What conditions are considered hyperlipidemia?

The blood lipid indicators on the physical examination report mainly include the following four.

➣Total cholesterol in the blood (TC on the physical examination report)

➣Triglycerides in the blood (abbreviated as TG on the physical examination report)

➣High-density lipoprotein (abbreviated as HDL on the physical examination report)

➣Low-density lipoprotein (abbreviated as LDL on the physical examination report)

If your total cholesterol or triglycerides are above the normal range, and your HDL is below normal, you should be careful; if these indicators remain abnormal, you will be labeled as having hyperlipidemia.

Note: - No data

Hyperlipidemia is mainly divided into the following 3 categories.

➣Hypercholesterolemia: Only total cholesterol exceeds the normal range.

➣Hypertriglyceridemia: Only triglycerides exceed the normal range.

➣Hypercholesterolemia and triglyceridemia: Both are above the normal range.

Through this article, we can understand the meaning of some fat-related indicators and make a preliminary judgment on whether the fat-related examination results on our physical examination report are satisfactory. If you have not yet developed the good habit of annual physical examinations, then find a physical examination center to check your body as soon as possible.