What is cholesterol and what does it do?

There is a great deal of publicity given to high cholesterol and the effects it has on health in recent months, but many of us are left wondering what it is and just what it does. Most individuals are familiar with the term "high cholesterol" due to the publicity associating it with cardiovascular problems, and indeed, too much of the wrong sort of cholesterol is certainly bad for you.

Cholesterol is in actual fact a vital component of a healthy body. It is a waxy steroid that's the main sterol synthesized by animals, and is transported round the body in blood plasma. Cholesterol is not found in vegetable foods, only animal products.

Cholesterol is acquired in two differnt ways; your body produces some cholesterol in the liver and the remainder comes from animal products you eat like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, butter, cheese, and whole milk. Many individuals are surprised to learn that the cholesterol we get through our diet can be just a third of what we produce ourselves.

What does cholesterol do?

Cholesterol exists in the outer layer of every cell in the human body and has many functions. However, there are actually two types of cholesterol, just one of which is bad for you.

" The "bad guys" - low-density lipoprotein, or LDL-Cholesterol, is frequently referred to as 'bad cholesterol' and is the substance that carries "building materials" to wherever they are needed within the body. Unfortunately, we sometimes make excessive LDL cholesterol nevertheless it still gets carried around via the bloodstream.

" The "good guys" - HDL cholesterol is the healthy sort as it too is carried by the blood but it is able to pick up any excess and remove it safely.

Excess LDL cholesterol can line the arteriel walls with deposits that form plaque and restrict the bloodflow. These plaque deposits can break off and cause blockages leading to heart attack or stroke if left unattended.

Properly balanced levels of cholesterol are an important part of a healthy body as cholesterol is necessary to produce cell membranes and certain hormones, and cholesterol plays an important role in other bodily functions as well. This is why it is so important to learn about cholesterol, and how to control it .

How can we control cholesterol?

Like hypertension, high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) itself is not a disease, but a condition which could result in some very serious consequences. Symptoms of cholesterol problems are very rare and often confused with the symptoms of something else entirely.

Since you cannot tell how high your cholesterol is without a blood test and you almost certainly won't notice if your cholesterol is high it is really crucial that you have the cholesterol checked regularly. Anyone over 25 ought to be having a check up every 5 years and anyone over 40 or belonging to a high risk group ought to be having an annual blood test in accordance with the American Heart Association. A visit to your doctor is really one of the best ways of coping with high cholesterol.