Cholesterol is carried in particle form (as lipoproteins) through our bloodstream and is made available for use by various tissues. They are also eventually stored or excreted as waste.
When an excessive amount of lipoproteins circulate in the blood, there is a great risk of injury to the arteries - especially to the coronary arteries to the heart. When vessel linings are burdened by "plaque," heart-related diseases such as atherosclerosis set in.
Cholesterol needs to be transported as lipoproteins because they aren't soluble in blood. Lipoproteins are organic compounds which are composed of both protein and different fatty substances categorized as lipids - these include steroids (e.g., cholesterol) and fatty acids.
The two basic cholesterol types are high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL). When you have your total cholesterol checked, both readings are usually given.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL)
It has been found that sufficient levels of HDL can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, it has been thought by experts at the American Heart Association (AHA) to even help carry the bad cholesterol (see below) away from the arteries and transport them to the liver where they can be excreted from the body.
HDLs are cells that are smaller than LDLs and have a lower protein percentage. For women, the normal HDL cholesterol levels are 50-60 mg/dL and for men, the reading should ideally be 40-50 mg/dL.
The higher the levels of HDL in our bodies, the better it is for our hearts. A reading of less than 40 mg/dL increases our risk of having heart disease.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
LDLs, on the other hand, are large molecules having a higher protein percentage than HDLs. They are the main system of transport of cholesterol and high levels of LDL mean an increased risk of heart disease, as well as stroke and heart attack, according to AHA. Together with other compounds, LDLs accumulate and form harmful plaque inside our arteries' walls, limiting our blood flow with possibly lethal blockages.
LDL levels of less than 100 mg/dL are considered optimal. When it reaches 130-159 mg/dL, it is considered "borderline high," while levels reaching 190 mg/dL and above are considered very high.
According to a report from the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), more than 50 million adults in the U.S. alone could benefit from dietary therapy to help lower their cholesterol levels. So make sure to follow a proper diet to maintain a healthy life style.
Cholesterol is the name for a class of chemicals found in every cell in the human body. Serving structural and regulatory functions at the cellular level, these chemicals are absolutely essential to survival. However, in recent years, high cholesterol levels have been linked to heart diseases and other illnesses, so there is a push within the health care community to make sure that people monitor their cholesterol and receive professional assistance to reduce the cholesterol in their bodies if necessary. Poor diet and sedentary life styles are typically the culprits behind the disorder, and it can often be treated with diet and exercise. However, for those who do not respond to diet and exercise, there are also medications that have successfully lowered cholesterol levels in many patients.
Lowering cholesterol levels is one of the most important public health initiatives in current years. In many ways, having high cholesterol levels can be a silent killer since it typically presents no symptoms until serious damage has already occurred. Hardening of the arteries is one of the most common disorders associated with the condition. What many people do not realize, however, is that not all cholesterol is bad. The "bad" form of cholesterol that forms fatty deposits in the blood vessels is known as low density lipoprotein (LDL). The other type that has beneficial effects and does not contribute to fatty build up is the high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterols. So, cholesterol reduction is really a misnomer--the idea is to increase the ration of HDL to LDL.
High cholesterol levels have been linked to a number of factors, with both genetics and lifestyle choices playing a key role. Diet is one of the most important factors, with diets rich in fatty substances being particularly detrimental. Exercise has shown to be an effective way to treat many different cardiovascular disorders, and high cholesterol disease in no exception. Of course, as in almost any condition, genetics plays a key role. Those who have a family history of the disorder are much more likely to develop similar problems. Gender is also a fact--men tend to have higher levels than women, though the levels in both men and women elevate as they age. Menopause is a key factor in women, as high cholesterol occurrence increases sharply as women pass the stage of menopause.
When lifestyle changes alone are not enough to bring levels back to within normal parameters, a number of cholesterol lowering drug treatments are available. Drugs such as Lipitor, Mevacor, Zocor and others have had a major impact in the way that the disease is managed and treated. There have been a number of major clinical studies that have confirmed the effectiveness of these and similar drugs, with many showing heart disease reductions of over forty percent in patients with high cholesterol.
Both Suzi Parsell & Dustin Cannon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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