High cholesterol levels are a major indicator of dangerous and deadly heart issues, which include heart attacks, heart failure, and stroke. Also dubbed as a silent killer, cholesterol - a waxy, fat-like substance which essential for good health in the right amounts, travels through your arteries silently and turns into plaque which does not show any symptoms until you have a heart attack. According to experts, you can live for many years with high cholesterol and not even know it and that is why doctors recommend getting the numbers checked regularly.

Even though it is a major health risk, catching rising cholesterol levels early can give you a chance to make changes and get them under control. However, there are a few weird measures that help you notice and understand the issue well. One of them is a bad odour or bad breath.

According to studies, there is a deep link between rising cholesterol and bad breath. Experts say Phantom odour - defined as a report of an unpleasant, bad, or burning odour when nothing is there, can be a major sign of impending heart-related problems. Many people report vascular conditions including a medical history of stroke so when their cholesterol is measured, they can be diagnosed with high levels while reporting phantom odours more frequently.

According to experts, there is a higher probability of phantom odour among adults aged 60 years and older with diabetes and high blood sugar levels, but only among those who use both insulins as well as me.