The What and Why of Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a typed of fat that is needed by and found in all of the cells in your body.
It functions to protect nerves, produce some hormones, and manufacture cell tissues.
Your liver produces all the cholesterol you need to perform these vital functions.
Therefore, the cholesterol which you obtain from the foods you consume is extra and excess cholesterol.
Since the body does not require and therefore does not use this extra cholesterol, it accumulates on the walls of your arteries.
These extra cholesterol deposits harden into a plaque.
As a result, the artery passages become narrow and there is less space for the blood and oxygen to move to your heart.
This causes a condition called arteriosclerosis.
Sometimes, the cholesterol build-up blocks an artery.
If the blocked artery supplies blood to your brain, you are at risk for a stroke.
If an artery supplying blood to your heart is blocked, you may suffer a heart attack.
However, there are two types of cholesterol: LDL or low-density level cholesterol and HDL or high-density cholesterol.
The LDL is bad cholesterol but the HDL is beneficial to you.
All cholesterol is transported through the blood in particles called lipoproteins.
The outside of the package is composed of protein and the cholesterol is inside.
The LDL lipoproteins are detrimental to your health because they deliver cholesterol to your body.
The HDL lipoproteins are beneficial to you however, as they take the cholesterol away from the bloodstream and carry it to the liver.
Therefore, your total cholesterol count reflects a balance between HDL and LDL.
Since high cholesterol levels in the blood do not generate any symptoms, it is important for people to have their cholesterol levels checked.
Men Less than 35 years old and women under 45 should be tested every give years.
Once the target ages have been reached, testing should be done annually along with a routine physical.
However, if your levels are high, or if you have other risk factors for heart disease you may require more frequent tests.
All testing should be done when the person is healthy.
A serious illness or accident will cause cholesterol levels to drop while pregnancy will result in high levels.
Doctors recommend that people wait at least six weeks after these events before being tested.
Certain medications such as anabolic steroids, beta-blockers, and epinephrine will cause cholesterol levels to increase.
The use of oral contraceptives and Vitamin D also raise levels.
Be sure to inform your doctor if you are taking any of these.
An ideal overall cholesterol level is less than 200.
Results of 200 to 239 place one in the borderline high group while over 240 places you at risk for heart problems.
LDL should ideally be below 100.
However 100 to 129 is acceptable.
Borderline high is 130 to 159 and if you are over 160 you are at risk for heart disease.
Conversely, HDL should be high.
If below 40, again you are at risk.
Sixty or higher greatly lessens the risk factor.
Since heart disease is America's leading cause of death and high blood cholesterol, occurring in 17% of our population, is a major risk factor, it is to your benefit to monitor your cholesterol levels.
It functions to protect nerves, produce some hormones, and manufacture cell tissues.
Your liver produces all the cholesterol you need to perform these vital functions.
Therefore, the cholesterol which you obtain from the foods you consume is extra and excess cholesterol.
Since the body does not require and therefore does not use this extra cholesterol, it accumulates on the walls of your arteries.
These extra cholesterol deposits harden into a plaque.
As a result, the artery passages become narrow and there is less space for the blood and oxygen to move to your heart.
This causes a condition called arteriosclerosis.
Sometimes, the cholesterol build-up blocks an artery.
If the blocked artery supplies blood to your brain, you are at risk for a stroke.
If an artery supplying blood to your heart is blocked, you may suffer a heart attack.
However, there are two types of cholesterol: LDL or low-density level cholesterol and HDL or high-density cholesterol.
The LDL is bad cholesterol but the HDL is beneficial to you.
All cholesterol is transported through the blood in particles called lipoproteins.
The outside of the package is composed of protein and the cholesterol is inside.
The LDL lipoproteins are detrimental to your health because they deliver cholesterol to your body.
The HDL lipoproteins are beneficial to you however, as they take the cholesterol away from the bloodstream and carry it to the liver.
Therefore, your total cholesterol count reflects a balance between HDL and LDL.
Since high cholesterol levels in the blood do not generate any symptoms, it is important for people to have their cholesterol levels checked.
Men Less than 35 years old and women under 45 should be tested every give years.
Once the target ages have been reached, testing should be done annually along with a routine physical.
However, if your levels are high, or if you have other risk factors for heart disease you may require more frequent tests.
All testing should be done when the person is healthy.
A serious illness or accident will cause cholesterol levels to drop while pregnancy will result in high levels.
Doctors recommend that people wait at least six weeks after these events before being tested.
Certain medications such as anabolic steroids, beta-blockers, and epinephrine will cause cholesterol levels to increase.
The use of oral contraceptives and Vitamin D also raise levels.
Be sure to inform your doctor if you are taking any of these.
An ideal overall cholesterol level is less than 200.
Results of 200 to 239 place one in the borderline high group while over 240 places you at risk for heart problems.
LDL should ideally be below 100.
However 100 to 129 is acceptable.
Borderline high is 130 to 159 and if you are over 160 you are at risk for heart disease.
Conversely, HDL should be high.
If below 40, again you are at risk.
Sixty or higher greatly lessens the risk factor.
Since heart disease is America's leading cause of death and high blood cholesterol, occurring in 17% of our population, is a major risk factor, it is to your benefit to monitor your cholesterol levels.