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The accumulation of bad cholesterol is bad for your health and can lead to heart disease. And a visual detail at your toes may invite you to take a quick look. Don’t miss this telltale sign.
Cholesterol is a normal, even essential, waxy substance in the human body. It is particularly involved in the construction of cells and the production of hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Having too much, on the other hand, is harmful: bad cholesterol can block blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. Hence the importance of taking an interest in it.
The difference between good and bad cholesterol
However, there are two types of cholesterol: “good” and “bad”.
- In good cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) carry cholesterol from cells to the liver where it is broken down or removed as waste.
- In the bad, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol to cells, accumulating in excessive amounts in the artery walls.
Beyond genetic factors, this bad cholesterol is also favored by modifiable risk factors: a diet rich in saturated or processed fats, an overly sedentary lifestyle or even smoking. These are therefore avoidable factors.
This sign on your toes that should make you consult
Unfortunately, if left unchecked, excess bad cholesterol, also called hypercholesterolemia, can often go unnoticed… until a serious event occurs. However, some signs can alert you.
This is particularly the case for a change in coloring of your toes. According to a case presented in the BMJ Case reporta blue or purple color, associated with pain or swelling would therefore be a bad sign. This blue toe syndrome occurs when circulation is reduced due to arterial blockage. The coloring would thus be caused by cholesterol embolisms, small crystalline formations detached from plaques in the arteries, which block circulation in smaller arteries.
Another case, published in the medical journal Cureusalso observed this symptom in a 70-year-old man, but after coronary bypass surgery.
Whether you are aware of your cholesterol level or not, a change in color with or without pain in your toes should therefore lead you to consult quickly, to avoid an accident.