High cholesterol and its effect on fertility

Although most people know that bad cholesterol is the culprit behind a long list of cardiovascular diseases, few know its connection to infertility.

However, experts clarify that it does not cause infertility in itself, but everything that surrounds it (bad habits, hypertension, excess body weight, etc.) also creates unfavorable circumstances for achieving pregnancy.

It is not that it itself causes infertility, but everything that surrounds it (bad habits, hypertension, excess body weight, etc.) also creates unfavorable circumstances for achieving pregnancy.

What happened?

Cholesterol has a close relationship with the group steroid hormones, which greatly affect human fertility.

Namely, this lipid is responsible for the precursor of hormones such as estradiol, progesterone and testosterone, which are crucial for the reproductive process and which are synthesized in the cells of the ovaries and testicles.

“In women, high levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) can create hormonal disorders which make it difficult both to fertilize and to reach the pregnancy term,” explains Dr. Begoña Martínez, director of the IVI Pamplona, ​​via e-mail.

In men, it can cause a lower amount of sperm with inferior quality or directly sperm shows incorrect morphology.

And if we are talking about a couple in which both have hypercholesterolemia, especially if it is accompanied by other risk factors, the chances increase that it will take longer to achieve pregnancy.”

However, estrogens affect fat metabolism, promoting production known as “good” cholesterol (HDL), which is beneficial for fertility, because the ovaries contain many receptors for this type of lipid. For all these reasons, it is important to maintain values ​​higher than 35 mg/dl in men and 40 mg/dl in women for this type of cholesterol.

Tips

– Varied nutrition according to the model Mediterranean: rich in plant elements, legumes, whole grains, lean meat and fish with omega-3 fatty acids. And above all, avoid processed foods that contain large amounts of salt and sugar.

– Do regular physical activity and stay active.

– Stop smoking, even if it’s true, and don’t drink alcohol regularly.

– If you are prone to high cholesterol levels or have diabetes or hypertension, it is advisable to have periodic tests to better control your blood lipid levels.