One out of six Americans, approximately 16 percent, have high cholesterol but no symptoms. Cholesterol in and of itself is not bad and is actually needed by your body to perform important actions. There is, however, a delicate balance that needs to be maintained in order for your cholesterol levels to be healthy.
Identification
Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that the body requires for the formation of cell membranes and several hormones, according to the Johns Hopkins Medicine website. Most cholesterol is manufactured by your liver, but it also can come from the food you eat. There are two types of cholesterol that need to remain in harmony: high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. Low-density lipoprotein is the oxidized form of cholesterol, according to the Healthy Heart Guide website.
Function
High-density lipoprotein carries low-density lipoprotein through the body and transports it back to the liver to be excreted from the body. Low-density lipoprotein transports fat and triglycerides through your body in your blood. Triglycerides are your body's main source of stored energy and though LDL cholesterol is needed for their transport, if LDL levels rise too high, cholesterol builds and attaches itself to your artery walls, becoming a hard plaque that narrows the arteries. This can inhibit blood and oxygen from getting to the brain and heart, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the Healthy Heart Guide website.
Significance
Essentially, LDL levels should be as low as possible so that total cholesterol numbers, a combination of HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and other lipid components, are within normal range. High total cholesterol numbers pose many health risks. The average American adult has a level of total cholesterol that is 200 mg/dL, which is considered to be borderline high, but many people have a total cholesterol level that is 240 mg/dL or higher. Normal LDL levels can as high as 129 mg/dL but ideally numbers are below 100 mg/dL. People at a high risk of heart disease should aim for LDL levels below 70 mg/dL, according to MayoClinic.com. Levels from 130 to 159 mg/dL are considered borderline high and levels from 160 to 189 mg/dL are high. Very high levels are 190 mg/dL and above.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for elevated LDL cholesterol levels include smoking, obesity and a poor diet, according to MayoClinic.com. Smoking damages blood vessel walls, which can lead to an accumulation of fatty deposits. A poor diet that has fat- and cholesterol-laden foods increases cholesterol levels and a lack of exercise will raise LDL levels. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes and heredity. Increased pressure in your heart damages your arteries and high blood sugar contributes to higher LDL levels. If you have a parent or sibling with heart disease before the age of 55 and you have high cholesterol, you are at a greater than average risk for heart disease.
Considerations
If you are concerned about your cholesterol, contact your doctor. A simple blood test can tell you what your cholesterol numbers are. Most cholesterol tests only give you your total cholesterol level number, so ask your doctor if you are looking for a breakdown of HDL and LDL. A lifestyle change might not always lower cholesterol and your doctor might prescribe medicine such as statins to help reduce your cholesterol.
