This is a question that is often asked. Many people discover they have high blood lipids and, concerned about the side effects of lipid-lowering medications, prefer to control their condition through diet or by consuming specific foods. Is this approach effective?
The answer varies from person to person. Generally speaking, strict dietary control combined with increased exercise and weight loss can treat mild hyperlipidemia, but severe hyperlipidemia requires medication; dietary control is more effective for elevated triglycerides than for elevated cholesterol.
Unhealthy eating habits (such as consuming excessive fatty meats, greasy foods, sweets, and alcohol) significantly impact triglyceride levels. Therefore, comprehensive measures such as strict dietary control, improving dietary structure, increasing exercise, losing weight, and abstaining from alcohol can significantly lower triglyceride levels. Severe elevations in triglycerides (above 5.6 mmol/L) are often related to genetic mutations, making dietary control alone insufficient for achieving ideal results, thus necessitating timely medication.
The sources of cholesterol include dietary intake and internal synthesis, with the latter being more significant. Therefore, for individuals with markedly elevated cholesterol, relying solely on dietary control is unlikely to achieve treatment goals; such patients generally require medication (statins can inhibit hepatic cholesterol synthesis, ezetimibe can reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption, and PCSK-9 inhibitors can promote cholesterol metabolism).
Statins are the most commonly used lipid-lowering medications. Although these drugs have potential adverse reactions, the incidence of serious side effects is low. Therefore, patients who require medication should follow their doctor’s advice and start treatment promptly to avoid cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Some hope to treat hyperlipidemia through special foods or formulas; however, there is currently no truly mature solution, and it is advised not to delay treatment.
In summary, dietary control or dietary therapy is only effective for mild hyperlipidemia. For those with significantly elevated blood lipids, active medication under a doctor’s guidance is necessary; one should not wait until cardiovascular diseases occur to realize the importance of treatment.
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(Hebei Provincial People’s Hospital, Guo Yifang)