Holesterol
Managing your cholesterol levels can help to keep you healthy as you age.
Holesterol. Learn about prevention and treatment of high cholesterol triglycerides ldl hdl athersclerosis arteriosclerosis hypercholesterolemia bad cholesterol reducing cholesterol cholesterol screening cholesterol tracker recipes and preventing high cholesterol. High cholesterol may lead to. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your blood. Cholesterol is a waxy fat like substance that s found in all the cells in your body.
Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol from the ancient greek chole and stereos solid followed by the chemical suffix ol for an alcohol is an organic molecule it is a sterol or modified steroid a type of lipid. Plaque buildup within arteries decreases blood flow affecting the function of the cells and organs that these blood vessels supply.
Cholesterol levels should be measured at least once every five years in everyone over age 20. Also learn about lifestyle changes you can make to. The american heart association explains how cholesterol affects the heart. Cholesterol is both good and bad.
At normal levels it is an essential substance for the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones vitamin d and substances that help you digest foods. Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones. Sterols and stanols are substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Foods that have been fortified with sterols or stanols are available. Cholesterol is also found in foods from animal sources such as egg yolks meat and cheese. The screening test that is usually performed is a blood test called a lipid profile. We explain what the healthy levels are for both adults and children.
Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. High cholesterol which affects more than 95 million americans is a silent and major risk factor for heart disease the leading cause of death in the united states. Eventually these deposits grow making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your. However if concentrations in the blood get too high it becomes a silent danger that puts people at.
With high cholesterol you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels.