These lifestyle factors may raise your levels:

• being overweight
• being inactive
• smoking
• drinking too much alcohol
• eating a diet too high in carbohydrates

These conditions may also raise your levels:

• type 2 diabetes
• certain types of kidney disease
• some types of hereditary lipid diseases

These medicines may raise your levels:

• corticosteroids
• estrogens
• retinoids, which are medicines that can be used to treat acne, psoriasis, and other skin problems
• higher doses of beta-adrenergic blocking agents