Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in all the cells of your body. It's an essential nutrient used to make cell membranes, steroid hormones and vitamin D. Your liver naturally produces all the cholesterol you need, but most people ingest extra in their daily diet. While some cholesterol is good, too much total cholesterol or too much LDL, or "bad," cholesterol can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Uses
Cholesterol can be transformed into many things. For example, vitamin D is derived from cholesterol. Vitamin D keeps your bones healthy by facilitating absorption of calcium and phosphate from your diet. Cortisol and aldosterone are also cholesterol derivatives. These hormones help you respond to stress and maintain blood pressure, respectively. Other hormones derived from cholesterol include the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Finally, cholesterol helps all of your cells maintain a fluid, functional cell membrane.
Sources
Cholesterol comes from animal products and from eating foods high in saturated fats. These include foods such as whole milk, ice cream, doughnuts, potato chips, and foods fried in butter, lard, bacon fat and certain oils including palm and coconut oil. Vegetables do not contain cholesterol.
Types
There are two main types of cholesterol: Cholesterol attached to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as "good" cholesterol, and cholesterol attached to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as "bad" cholesterol. HDL helps clear excess cholesterol from your arteries by carrying it to your liver, where it is eliminated. In contrast, LDL is the type of cholesterol that accumulates in your arteries and can cause cardiovascular disease.
Tests
Cholesterol tests measure the amount of total cholesterol and the amounts of HDL and LDL cholesterol in your blood. For most people, a total cholesterol level of less than 200mg/dL, an HDL of more than 60mg/dL, and an LDL of less than 100mg/dL is desirable. However, if you have a history of heart disease, diabetes or other comorbidities of hyperlipidemia, your target cholesterol levels may be lower.
Effects
High levels of total and LDL cholesterol contribute to the buildup of plaque in the walls of your arteries. This process, known as atherosclerosis, leads to narrow, inflexible arteries, and can cause heart attack and stroke.
Prevention
The best way to keep your total and LDL cholesterol numbers low is to eat a diet rich in vegetable-derived food. Exercising and making healthy lifestyle choices, for example, by not smoking, can also raise HDL and lower total and LDL cholesterol.
