Cholesterol: 5 Symptoms That May Warn You It’s Too High
High cholesterol is often called a “silent” condition because most people have no symptoms at all. A blood test called a lipid profile is the reliable way to find out whether your cholesterol is high.
However, very high cholesterol—especially inherited familial hypercholesterolemia—can sometimes produce physical signs. Here are five signs worth knowing:
1. Yellowish patches around the eyes
Small yellowish deposits around the eyelids, known as xanthelasma, can be associated with abnormal cholesterol levels.
They don’t prove that cholesterol is high, however. They can occur for other reasons as well.
2. Cholesterol deposits in tendons
Xanthomas are cholesterol deposits that can appear as lumps or thickened areas around tendons, particularly around the Achilles tendon and the joints of the hands.
They are more concerning for significantly elevated cholesterol, particularly familial hypercholesterolemia.
3. A gray-white ring around the cornea
A gray, white, or bluish ring around the outer edge of the cornea is called corneal arcus.
It becomes more common with age and does not necessarily mean you have high cholesterol. But when it occurs at a young age, it can be a sign of very high cholesterol and should be medically evaluated.
4. Chest pain or pressure
High cholesterol itself generally doesn’t cause chest pain. Instead, over many years, excess LDL (“bad”) cholesterol can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries.
If the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed, a person may develop angina, which can feel like pressure, tightness, squeezing, or pain in the chest, particularly during physical activity.
Sudden or severe chest pain, especially with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or pain spreading to the arm or jaw, requires emergency medical attention.
5. Symptoms caused by reduced blood flow
Long-term high cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis, in which fatty plaques build up inside arteries.
Depending on which arteries are affected, this can lead to symptoms such as:
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Leg pain while walking that improves with rest
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Shortness of breath or chest discomfort
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Temporary weakness or numbness
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Difficulty speaking or other sudden neurological symptoms
These aren’t symptoms of cholesterol itself; they’re possible consequences of cholesterol-related artery disease.
The most important point
You cannot reliably tell whether your cholesterol is high from symptoms. Someone can have very high LDL cholesterol and feel completely healthy.
A lipid blood test measures LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and usually total cholesterol. Your doctor can then interpret the results alongside your age, blood pressure, diabetes status, smoking history, family history, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
