Total Cholesterol
We offer point of care blood testing during your face to face appointments to assess other markers of your overall health. Whilst somewhat less reliable than venous blood samples assessed in a lab, point of care tests offer a quick and effective way to assess your cardiovascular health as you go through your weight loss journey
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) that is found in your blood. Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, produce hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. However, having too much cholesterol can increase the risk of developing heart disease. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often known as 'bad' cholesterol because it can lead to fatty build-up in the arteries, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or 'good' cholesterol, which can help to remove the 'bad' cholesterol from your bloodstream.
High levels of cholesterol can lead to the build-up of fatty deposits in your blood vessels, making it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries. This can cause complications such as chest pain, heart attack, or stroke. High cholesterol can be due to a variety of factors including poor diet, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, age, or genetics.
What is the relationship between high cholesterol and weight?
The treatments we provide at Dorset Weight Loss can aid losing weight by making you feel fuller after meals, which can lead to a decrease in calorie intake. It's important to note that this medication works best when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Weight loss can help to lower cholesterol levels in a few ways. When you lose weight, the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or 'bad' cholesterol, in your body decreases. LDL cholesterol is the type that can build up in your arteries and lead to heart disease. At the same time, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or 'good' cholesterol, levels can increase with weight loss. HDL cholesterol helps to remove LDL cholesterol from your body.
In terms of diet, eating foods that are low in saturated and trans fats can help to lower your cholesterol levels. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats like those found in nuts and fish. Regular exercise can also help to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.
So, in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise, Semaglutide can help you to lose weight, which can in turn help to lower your cholesterol levels. This can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
63.5%
Number of patients achieving clinically significant weight loss
8 Weeks
Average amount of time required to lose 5% of body weight
10%+
The reduction in body weight achievable when coupling semaglutide with a good diet and exercise
How will you test my cholesterol?
At Dorset Weight Loss, we use a point of care device to check your cholesterol levels during your appointments. We check levels every 3 months.
We use a device called Accutrend, manufactured by Roche. The Accutrend point of care cholesterol test is a simple and quick way to measure the level of cholesterol in your blood. Here's a simple step-by-step guide on how it works:
1. First, a small finger-prick blood sample is taken. This is done using a small, sharp device called a lancet. It's very quick and only causes a tiny pinprick sensation.
2. The blood sample is then placed onto a special strip, called a test strip, which is inserted into the Accutrend device.
3. The device works by using a process called reflectance photometry. This means it shines a light onto the test strip and measures how much light is reflected back. Certain chemicals in the test strip react with the cholesterol in the blood, which changes the amount of light that is reflected back.
4. The device then uses this information to calculate the level of cholesterol in your blood, and displays the result on its screen. This usually takes just a few minutes.
5. The results can be used to monitor cholesterol levels over time, or to check the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering treatments.
