Cholesterol is not entirely bad--your body needs it to build cell membranes and produce hormones. But cholesterol, which is a lipid, is not the type of substance you are likely to suffer a shortage of, because your body makes it in ample amounts even if you do not consume it in foods. About 16 percent of the U.S. adult population has high cholesterol, according to a 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet. High cholesterol can lead to serious health problems.
Types
When health professionals talk about your cholesterol levels, you will hear several terms and numbers. Dietary cholesterol refers the amounts of the substance you get from foods you eat. Blood cholesterol is what's found in your body and comes in several types. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as bad cholesterol and tends to build up on the inner walls of the arteries. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is also referred to as good cholesterol and, according to the American Heart Association, "seems to protect against heart disease." Triglycerides are a type of fat that correlate with high overall cholesterol levels.
Effects
The higher your overall blood cholesterol, the higher your chance of developing heart disease, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. The way it happens is by building up on the walls of your arteries to the point that blood can no longer pass through freely. Sometimes these spots of plaque break off. A heart attack or stroke can result. But elevated cholesterol does not, on its own, cause symptoms.
Recommendations
For a complete picture of your cholesterol status, doctors order a complete fasting lipid profile. It measures total blood cholesterol, for which the optimal level, according to the AHA, is less than 200mg per deciliter. It also covers HDL, which should be between 40 50 mg/dL for men and 50 to 60 mg/dL for women; LDL, which is optimal when below 100 ml/dL; and triglycerides, which should not exceed 150 ml/dL. Adults should have their cholesterol checked once every five years, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program.
Reduction
One way to lower cholesterol is by limiting consumption of foods with high levels of cholesterol, including whole milk products, organ meats and egg yolks. You should keep your cholesterol intake to no more than 300mg per day, or 200mg if you already have heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. More general lifestyle changes play a large role as well. The Mayo Clinic recommends frequent exercise as well as a diet low in saturated fats and trans fats and high in whole grains and produce. Losing even 5 to 10 lbs. of body weight can have an impact, according to the Mayo Clinic, as can quitting smoking. If lifestyle changes prove inadequate, you can ask your doctor about cholesterol-lowering medications.
Controversy
Eggs have long held a bad reputation as wellsprings of cholesterol. A commonly believed notion is that eating more than three eggs a week is bad for your health, according to a group of researchers from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. But the idea, they determined in a review of scientific literature, is wrong. Researcher Bruce Griffin and colleagues in 2009 wrote in the "British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin" that dietary cholesterol exerts only a small influence on blood cholesterol. Other factors, such as smoking and being overweight, are far more important, they concluded.
References
- American Heart Association: LDL and HDL Cholesterol--What's Bad and What's Good?
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: National Cholesterol Education Program
- Mayo Clinic: Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Cholesterol
- British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control: Cholesterol Fact Sheet
