Cholesterol & Glucose Testing

Testing the level of cholesterol and glucose in your blood is a useful way of evaluating your dietary health and calculating your risk of developing Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) or Diabetes.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the body in the form of a sticky substance. Although, it is produced within the body by the liver to form parts of cells and hormones, your dietary intake can have a huge effect on the cholesterol levels in your blood.

Diets containing high levels of saturated fats (found in fatty red meats, processed food, pastries etc) and low levels of unsaturated fats (found in fish oils, olive oil etc) can raise cholesterol levels in the blood.

When cholesterol levels are raised, there is an increased probability for excesses of this substance to be deposited within blood vessels. Your risk is further increased if the delicate lining of the blood vessels is damaged at all by high blood pressure or the chemicals in cigarettes. As these deposits accumulate there is the risk of the blood vessels becoming blocked.

In some cases, the deposits are dislodged and travel to other areas of the body. If they block some of the thinner vessels in the brain they can cause a stroke, or in the heart they can cause a heart attack.

Glucose
Glucose is a type of sugar the body uses for energy. We gain glucose by digesting carbohydrates in our diet and converting them into a chemical that can be easily utilised to provide energy.

Insulin, a chemical secreted by the pancreas, aids in the transfer of glucose to the tissues that need it and helps to regulate the glucose levels within the blood. Improper regulation of blood glucose levels can lead to a condition called Diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes – Usually identified at an earl age, this type of diabetes is related to a genetic disorder, in which insulin is broken down by the body’s own enzymes. Type 1 Diabetes is treated with insulin, usually administered by injection.

Type 2 Diabetes – Also known as ‘adult-onset diabetes’ has been related to certain lifestyle and dietary factors. Inactivity, obesity, high saturated fat intake and smoking have all been shown to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Cholesterol & Glucose Testing

During the test itself, one of our practitioners will prick your fingertip and a small droplet of blood will be taken. The sample is processed by specialist blood analysing equipment and results will be available within the same appointment.

These results may be combined with other measurements such as height, weight, blood pressure to provide an understanding of your risk of CVD or Diabetes.