If your cholesterol levels are high, your risk of heart disease increases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in America; a person dies every minute from a coronary event. Cholesterol is a waxy fat that can build up in your bloodstream, blocking blood flow to vital organs. When your coronary arteries become clogged, you may have a heart attack. Further, if your carotid arteries become clogged, you run the risk of stroke.
According to the American Heart Association, approximately 102.2 million Americans have high cholesterol. High cholesterol is considered a total cholesterol greater than 200 mg/dL. The higher your cholesterol goes, the greater ...
Cholesterol forms naturally in the body and helps produce hormones, vitamins and digestive substances. The body receives additional cholesterol from some of the foods you eat. Problems may arise when too much cholesterol builds...
Cholesterol is in the spotlight as a dietary substance you should minimize or avoid because it may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the different types of cholesterol and associated risks may prompt you to hav...
Cholesterol is naturally made by the body, and you also get it through your diet when you eat animal products. Your body needs cholesterol to function properly, but too much of it can cause problems. Keeping cholesterol levels ...
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that circulates in blood in a complex with protein called a lipoprotein. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is a bad form of cholesterol, because in excess it raises your risk for coronary artery d...
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that is hydrophobic, which means it can't dissolve in water. Because your blood contains a large percentage of water, cholesterol can't dissolve in it and instead circulates through your bloo...
Too much cholesterol in your body, however, can endanger your health by increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Understanding what cholesterol is and how your diet influences your cholesterol level can help you make i...
Cholesterol is a type of lipid that circulates throughout your bloodstream. Cholesterol contributes to the structure of all of your cell membranes. The lipid also acts as a precursor to vitamin D, bile acids and the sex hormone...
Cholesterol can affect your health. If you eat excessive amounts of fat and dietary cholesterol, you will likely experience a slow increase of blood cholesterol over your lifetime. As your cholesterol levels rise, so does your ...
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance in your body known as sterol. Many people who hear the word "cholesterol" automatically associate the substance with negative health implications, but in fact, cholesterol plays a number of v...
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in food and produced by the body. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol. Too much LDL or too...
Although cholesterol is commonly associated with negative health implications, it actually plays a number of important roles in the body. Cholesterol acts as a precursor for bile acids, vitamin D, estrogen and testosterone, as ...
Because cholesterol may cause concern about heart disease, you should focus on the amount of cholesterol in your body. The body produces about 75 percent of your blood cholesterol, the American Heart Association notes. About 25...
Keeping the cholesterol levels within the recommended range is very important, because having abnormal levels in the bloodstream is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Having a diet that is low in cholester...
If you've been diagnosed with high cholesterol, several lifestyle changes are necessary if you want to lower your cholesterol levels to a healthier level. Doctors might recommend a combination of weight loss, diet changes and e...
In colloquial terms, there are two kinds of cholesterol -- "good" and "bad." In reality, however, there's only one kind of cholesterol molecule but two kinds of cholesterol transporters. LDL transporters, or low-density lipopro...
If your cholesterol level is too high, you are at a greater risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke than you should be. Controlling your cholesterol levels may be difficult, but eating a healthy diet and getting a prope...
Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver to protect nerves and produce cell tissues and certain hormones. Cholesterol is not only made by the body, but also comes from fats and animal products in the diet. Too much cho...
Kids need some cholesterol to function, but --- like adults --- their bodies might produce or hold onto too much. Although problems that stem from high cholesterol don't always appear until years later, they can take root in ch...
Due to the rapidly increasing rate of childhood obesity, the American Academy of Pediatrics, or AAP, revised its policy on screening children for cholesterol in July 2008. The Academy recommends that obese children be screened...
Cholesterol test results are used to help predict the development of cardiovascular disease and to determine the types of treatment required to prevent the occurrence of heart attacks and stroke. Absolute values, the numbers li...
Cholesterol is a normal substance found in the bloodstream and all body cells. It is a soft, waxy, fat-like substance that is used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, according to the American Heart Association. Oft...
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found primarily in animal fats and used for cell membrane repair and hormone production in the human body. The body must have cholesterol to function, but too high of levels in the blood can lead...
Cholesterol is an important biomolecule whose concentration in the body is partially regulated by the liver. The liver is responsible both for packaging and transporting cholesterol obtained from food as well as excreting exces...
Understanding the functions, importance and dietary sources of cholesterol can help reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol plays an important role in many cellular and bodily processes, but limiting dietary i...
Cholesterol is the most abundant sterol (a class of lipids) in the human body. It is an odorless, powdery, white, waxy substance that is found in foods of animal origin. It is necessary for various functions in the body, but to...
Simvastatin, sold under the brand name Zocor, is a prescription drug used to lower high cholesterol (fatty substances) in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is usually prescribed if changes in diet and lifestyle have f...
Cholesterol is a necessary substance that keeps us healthy and functioning. It's both created by the body and consumed through various food sources. There are, however, both healthy and unhealthy types of cholesterol.
