High cholesterol is often called the “silent killer” because it silently accumulates in the body and may cause no visible symptoms for a long time. Many people live normal lives for years, but fat builds up in their arteries – a process that can eventually lead to serious diseases like heart attack and stroke. The most worrying thing is that most people come to know about their high cholesterol when their condition has already worsened.
**High cholesterol affects about 11.3% of people over the age of 20**
According to recent data, it is no longer just the elderly who suffer from high cholesterol; In fact, young people are also being increasingly influenced by it. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2021 and 2023, about 11.3% of people over the age of 20 in the US had high cholesterol. Experts believe that this problem can start even at the age of 20 or 30.
**This problem can cause heart disease or stroke**
Dr. Ashish Kumar Govil, Associate Director of Interventional Cardiology Department at Max Super Specialty Hospital, Noida, says that high cholesterol often keeps increasing without any symptoms. He explains that by the time people become aware of their disease, it has already caused serious complications like heart disease or stroke. Therefore, it is very important to get regular health checkups done from an early age.
**Symptoms may appear in the eyes, elbows, knees and hands**
According to medical experts, the eyes often start indicating high cholesterol. A brown or white ring around the iris (the colored part of the eye) is called a “corneal arcus”, and may be a sign of increased cholesterol levels in the body. Additionally, small yellow bumps or lumps under the skin – called xanthomas – may also be a sign of high cholesterol. These often appear around the eyes, elbows, knees and hands.
**Warning sign for people over 50**
A study published in 2021 in the *Journal of Translational Medicine* found that people who exhibit symptoms similar to corneal arcs and xanthoma may be at higher risk of developing coronary artery disease. Research has also shown that if such ring-like circles are seen around the eyes of people below 50 years of age, then they should not be ignored.
**What is the reason for this problem?**
According to Dr. Govil, the main reason for high cholesterol at a young age is bad lifestyle. Processed food, high fat diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking and constant stress increase this risk. Obesity, type 2 diabetes and family history of the disease also play an important role. Experts say that high cholesterol can be detected only through blood test. Therefore, if there is a history of this disease in the family, or if such symptoms are seen on the body, then the person should get a lipid profile test done in time.