While cholesterol has taken a bad rap because of its negative effect on long-term health, it's an important waxy substance your body needs to build healthy cells. High blood cholesterol, on the other hand, narrows your arteries and reduces oxygen-rich blood flow to vital organs like your heart and brain. Maintaining your blood cholesterol within established limits will improve your quality of life.
Sources
Your liver produces about 75 percent of the cholesterol in your body, and the remaining 25 percent comes from the foods you eat. Some people inherit genes that increase cholesterol production from the liver. As you age, your cholesterol levels rise naturally and post-menopausal women typically see an increase in low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, levels. Although you can't modify your heredity, sex or age, you can alter your lifestyle to reduce overall cholesterol levels.
Types
Cholesterol is a waxy product that doesn't dissolve in the bloodstream, so it hitches a ride on carriers called lipoproteins. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is nicknamed the "good" cholesterol, compared to the "bad" low-density lipoprotein, LDL. Triglycerides are a type of fat manufactured by the body that influence cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol is comprised of your HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and Lp(a) cholesterol, a genetic variation of LDL, states the American Heart Association.
Expert Insight
In the U.S., definitive guidelines for blood cholesterol levels are developed through The National Cholesterol Education Program, Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Nicknamed ATP III, these recommendations establish desirable cholesterol ranges, identify treatment parameters and address factors that influence blood cholesterol.
Desirable Levels
The ATP III guidelines characterize five different ranges for LDL cholesterol. Optimal levels are below 100mg/dL, while 100 to 129mg/dL represents near optimal/above optimal. If your LDL level is between 130 and 159mg/dL, that's borderline high. An LDL reading between 160 and 189mg/dL is high, and values above 190mg/dL are very high.
The ATP panel describes a total cholesterol of less than 200mg/dL as desirable, values between 200 and239 mg/dL as borderline high and those 240mg/dL and above as high. When reading your HDL level from a lab report, remember this is the "good" cholesterol. You want a high reading, preferably above 60mg/dL and you'll need to avoid LDL levels below 40mg/dL.
Significance
When your cholesterol levels are outside recommended ranges, it increases your risk of both chronic and acute health problems. Excess LDL proteins accumulate on the inside of your arterial walls in rigid plaques that narrow the vessel. If one of the plaques breaks off and travels to your heart, it can cause a heart attack. A plaque in the carotid arteries can lead to a stroke. Although experts don't fully agree on the role of HDL, many believe it plays a role in carrying excess cholesterol to the liver so it can be removed from the body. Others think HDL may remove cholesterol from the plaques lining your arteries, notes the American Heart Association.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need to Know
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) Executive Summary
