Understanding Cholesterol Basics
Understanding Cholesterol Basics – Understanding cholesterol basics can help you avoid serious health conditions. Find out more information about cholesterol by watching this video.
Expert: Michael Farkouh, M.D. Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Assoc. Professor of Cardiology
Transcript
Cholesterol is a fatty substance found among the lipids in the bloodstream and in cells throughout the body. Cholesterol is not inherently “bad” – in fact, cholesterol is a naturally occurring substance in the body that plays a critical role the formation of cell membranes and the manufacture of hormones. But the body only needs a small amount of cholesterol to carry out these functions.
When the body has too much cholesterol that is when it becomes a potential health risk. To see why this is, it helps to understand a bit more about how cholesterol interacts with the body. Cholesterol and other fats cannot dissolve in the blood stream. So, they need to be transported in to and out of cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. Cholesterol is carried by two of these, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
LDL is the primary carrier of cholesterol, while HDL moves only about one third of the cholesterol in the body. When the amount of cholesterol in the blood stream increases, the body needs to create additional lipoproteins to transport them. LDL has become known as “bad” cholesterol because when there is too much of it in the blood stream, it tends to build up on the arterial walls, forming plaque. This plaque buildup clogs and hardens the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This can lead to heart attack or a stroke.
HDL has been dubbed “good cholesterol” because it seems to actually aid in removing cholesterol from the body, by carrying it away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body.
Determining your cholesterol level is easy, and can be done with a simple blood test. The “normal level” of cholesterol for any individual depends upon their age, weight, and sex, but typically an LDL level of above 160 is considered high. Similarly an HDL level below 40 would usually be considered too low.
Either high LDL levels or low HDL levels can put you at risk for plaque buildup. Although our bodies do naturally make a small amount of cholesterol, most of our cholesterol comes from ingesting fatty foods. The first and easiest way to reduce cholesterol is to restrict your fat intake.
High cholesterol is an important factor in heart disease and stroke, and managing your cholesterol is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. The good news is that there are many effective ways to manage high cholestero. However, an important first step toward a heart healthy lifestyle should be to see your doctor and find out your cholesterol level.
Last Modified: 2013-05-01
Category: Health and Nutrition, Videos
