Worst Foods for High Cholesterol

Does high cholesterol cause symptoms?

One tricky thing about high cholesterol is that unlike some medical concerns, unhealthy cholesterol levels may not cause noticeable symptoms.

“It’s a game of trust,” explains Dr. Bhattacharya. “If your doctor tells you your cholesterol is too high, you need to act on it—even if you’re feeling well.”

Although high cholesterol doesn’t usually cause symptoms, Dr. Bhattacharya says there is one sign that can often go unnoticed: erectile dysfunction.

“We used to think erectile dysfunction in men over 40 was happening because people were getting older. But it’s a problem of blood flow. The blood vessels in the penis are like the blood vessels in the heart. When enough cholesterol cakes the walls of the blood vessels, blood and nutrients can’t get to those organs.”

Otherwise, the first symptoms are often a heart attack, stroke, or chest pain (called angina). Because the first symptoms of high cholesterol are often debilitating events like heart attack and stroke, it is especially important to get your cholesterol measured regularly by your doctor and make sure you are maintaining healthy cholesterol levels.