🩸 Men's Health
Cholesterol Guide for Nigerians
Understanding your lipid panel — what the numbers mean and how to improve them
Cholesterol is a waxy substance essential for cell function, hormone production, and digestion. But when LDL ('bad') cholesterol is elevated, it deposits in artery walls — silently building plaque that can cause heart attacks and strokes. Dyslipidaemia (abnormal cholesterol levels) is common in Nigeria yet rarely tested proactively. Understanding your numbers is the first step to protecting your heart.
Signs and Symptoms
✓ High cholesterol has NO symptoms — it is a silent risk factor
✓ Symptoms of complications: chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease
✓ Xanthelasma — yellowish deposits around the eyelids (visible in severe hypercholesterolaemia)
✓ Tendon xanthomas — fatty deposits in tendons (rare, familial hypercholesterolaemia)
When to Seek Help
Age 35 or older with no lipid testAll adults should have a fasting lipid profile by age 35 (or earlier with risk factors).
Family history of early heart diseaseScreen from age 20 — familial hypercholesterolaemia causes heart attacks in young adults.
Diabetes or hypertension diagnosisLipid profile is part of the standard workup — dyslipidaemia commonly co-exists.
LDL above 4.0 mmol/L or TC above 6.0 mmol/LRequires lifestyle change and possibly statin therapy.
Tests & Diagnosis
🧪 Fasting lipid profile
Total cholesterol (TC), LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and TC/HDL ratio. Fast for 10–12 hours before the test.
🧪 Non-HDL cholesterol
TC minus HDL — a useful composite marker especially in people with high triglycerides.
🧪 Lipoprotein(a) — Lp(a)
An independent cardiovascular risk factor not measured in standard panels — consider in people with premature CAD or family history despite normal LDL.
🧪 Thyroid (TSH)
Hypothyroidism raises LDL — exclude before starting statins.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good cholesterol level for Nigerians?
Target values: LDL below 3.0 mmol/L (115 mg/dL) for average risk. HDL above 1.0 mmol/L (men) or 1.2 mmol/L (women) — higher is better. Triglycerides below 1.7 mmol/L. Total cholesterol below 5.0 mmol/L. These are European and WHO guidelines applicable to Nigerian adults.
Is palm oil bad for cholesterol?
Red palm oil contains palmitic acid (a saturated fat that raises LDL) and tocopherols and tocotrienols (antioxidants that may partially offset harm). Modest amounts of red palm oil in cooking are probably not harmful, but large quantities daily raise LDL. Bleached (refined) palm oil loses the antioxidant benefit. Use in moderation alongside other cooking oils.
Do I need a statin if my cholesterol is only slightly elevated?
Whether to take a statin depends on total cardiovascular risk, not cholesterol level alone. A person with mildly elevated LDL plus diabetes plus hypertension plus smoking may need a statin more urgently than someone with higher cholesterol but no other risk factors. Risk calculators (ASCVD, SCORE) quantify 10-year cardiovascular risk to guide decisions.
Can diet alone control high cholesterol?
Diet changes reduce LDL by 10–20% — significant but often insufficient for people with high starting levels or genetic causes. For primary prevention in lower-risk people, diet + exercise for 3 months is tried first. For people with established heart disease or familial hypercholesterolaemia, statins are started without delay alongside diet changes.
Should I avoid eggs if my cholesterol is high?
Dietary cholesterol (from eggs) has less effect on blood cholesterol than saturated fat. Most guidelines allow up to 1 egg per day in people with elevated cholesterol. The saturated fat in fried food prepared with egg is more problematic than the egg cholesterol itself. Eggs boiled or poached are a nutritious food — moderation is the key.