Acceptable cholesterol levels are a hot topic these days. More than 100 million adults in the United States have high cholesterol levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reducing your dietary and blood cholesterol levels reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease and other types of medical conditions.
Function
Your body needs an acceptable amount of cholesterol to function properly. Cholesterol is present in the structure of every cell membrane. This waxy substance is necessary for the production of some hormones, like testosterone and estrogen. Cholesterol is important for metabolizing vitamins A, D, E and K.
Source
Animals produce all the cholesterol they need in their livers. Plants do not manufacture cholesterol. Your liver makes most of the cholesterol in your body, and you consume the rest through the food you eat. You don't need to eat any cholesterol for your body to function properly- your liver makes all you need.
Dietary Cholesterol
A diet filled with too much saturated fat and cholesterol is the main reason for high cholesterol, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Animal products, such as meat and dairy, contain saturated fat. Egg yolks are very high in dietary cholesterol. Limit your dietary cholesterol to 300mg each day if you are healthy and 200mg daily if you have heart disease or are trying to lowering your dietary cholesterol levels to acceptable amounts.
Blood Cholesterol
Your intestines turn the fat you eat into cholesterol and stored in cells. It travels from the intestines to your cells through the bloodstream. Excess cholesterol can build up in the bloodstream. An excessive level of blood cholesterol, one that measures above 240mg/dL, put you at elevated risk for heart disease. The acceptable level of blood cholesterol is less than 200mg/dL.
Risks
Blood cholesterol levels above acceptable limits increase your risk for developing certain medical conditions. A person with a total blood cholesterol levels over 239mg/dL is at significant risk for developing heart disease, the most common cause of death. Every one percent drop in your cholesterol reduces your risk for heart disease by 2 percent, according to ClevelandClinic.org. The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation cites a study by Kaiser Permanente that links cholesterol levels as low as 220mg/dL during midlife increases a person's risk for developing Alzheimer's in later years. Lower your risks for developing disease by reducing your cholesterol to acceptable limits.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: September is National Cholesterol Education Month
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: What Makes Your Cholesterol High or Low?
- ClevelandClinic.org: High Blood Cholesterol
- Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation: Mildly Elevated Cholesterol at Midlife is Linked to Alzheimer's
