Cholesterol is a type of fat that is made by the body. Just saying the name conjures up ominous feelings of dread, but it is essential for good health at normal levels and is found in every cell in the body. However, having high cholesterol is bad and can cause heart diseases or a stroke. Two thirds of adults have a cholesterol level that is higher than the recommended amount.
High cholesterol can increase your risk developing cardiovascular disease as it affects your heart and blood vessels. The blood vessels supplying your heart may become narrow due to a build up of deposits called plaques and they can't deliver enough oxygen to the heart muscle. This can lead to chest pain, known as angina. If the fatty plaque breaks off it could cause a blood clot which could stop blood from reaching you heart or brain causing either a heart attack or stroke.
Cholesterol attaches itself to a protein in your blood and then it is transported around your body. The combination of fat and protein is called a lipoprotein, there are different types of these lipoproteins depending on how much fat there is in relation to protein.
The "good" type of cholesterol is called High -density lipoprotein or HDL. The role of high -density lipoprotein is to transport excess cholesterol from the tissues (including the walls of arteries) to the liver for disposal. A healthy way to increase HDL is by exercising regularly.
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is considered to be the "bad" type of cholesterol and contains mainly fat with not much protein. High levels of low-density lipoprotein are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease as LDL causes cholesterol to be deposited in your blood vessels. About 70% of your body's cholesterol is transported in this form and is involved in transporting cholesterol from the liver to the cells.
Very low-density lipoprotein, or VLDL, and chylomicrons account for a small percentage of your body's cholesterol, but they are rich in triglycerides and transport them to the tissues.
Triglycerides are a different type of fat and mostly come from fats in your food which provides you with an important source of stored energy. Energy from food that is eaten and not used immediately is converted into triglycerides and transported to fat cells for storage. This helps provide you with an important source of stored energy.
Having a high total cholesterol level is a risk factor for heart disease. It's important to consider the relative amounts of HDL and LDL. This is often referred to as the TC:HDL ratio. You should aim for a high level of HDL and a low level of LDL (a low TC:HDL ratio).
A cholesterol test is done by taking a blood sample either by syringe or a finger prick. You should not eat for 12 hours before the test so that undigested food does not affect the result. The test can be done at your doctor's surgery or at a hospital. There are home testing kits available from your local pharmacy where you prick your finger and a drop of blood is put on a test strip of card, but they tend to be inaccurate.
There are several factors that may contribute to having a high cholesterol count. You could have a diet high in saturated fats, lack of exercise, genetics. Smokers are considered a high risk factor and drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol.
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