Dear Doctor,
I am a 34 yr old male who recently came back from the doctor with some not so good news. It turns our that my cholesterol is a very high 292 with an extremely high LDL count, a 219. I am relatively healthy and active; I am 6 ft tall and weigh 206 lbs; a bit overweight I do admit however I’m not a heavy eater of bad foods and tend to watch my diet closely. The doctor informed me that when the LDL number is high it is likely to be hereditary, however, that theory has also for most part gone out the window since not much of a cholesterol history is found on my parents and grandparents on both sides of the family.
One thing that does intrige me, is that when I was 7yrs old, I was diagnosed and treated for hepatitis. I can’t really remember if it was A,B or C, but I do remember that all my silverware, dishes, towels and other things were marked and separated from my brothers and family things; given me the impression that it could have been C. Anyway, since hepatitis effects the liver system, is it possible that my extremelly high cholesterol may have something to do with my hepatitis at an early age? Curious to hear what you have to say.

Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

Though I cannot be sure, my guess would be that you had hepatitis A. It is true that liver damage could affect your cholesterol levels, but there would have to be some evidence of liver dysfunction. Some lab tests would be needed to determine that. Generally speaking, it’s more likely that your high cholesterol levels are not due to liver damage, but as I’m sure you understand, I cannot be sure - you’d have to ask your doctor.

As for your cholesterol levels, I would not call these “extremely high”. Sure, they are high, and measures should be taken to bring them down. Diet is key; statin treatment may be needed. Discuss this with your doctor.