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Cholesterol Facts - Learn How Cholesterol Affects Your Health

Cholesterol, like fat, is a member of a family of molecules called lipids. It is a waxy substance that your body requires for essential body functions such as hormone synthesis and cell membrane maintenance. The cholesterol in your body comes from two sources. Approximately 25% of cholesterol comes from the fats in your diet and the other 75% is manufactured in your body by the liver. Too much cholesterol can be a risk for developing coronary artery disease, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes.

It is important to understand what happens to fat when it enters your body. Examples of fats are oils, butter, margarine, and salad dressings. After you ingest fat, it travels to your stomach and then empties into your small intestine where it is digested and absorbed. From here, it is then sent off to the liver where it is used for the bodily functions mentioned above. Like fat, cholesterol molecules don't mix with water, the major component of blood. So, the liver packages the fat together with cholesterol and protein, and sends it through the bloodstream on carriers called "lipoproteins."

The main lipoproteins involved in carrying fat and cholesterol through your body are LDL (low-density lipoprotein), commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol," HDL (high-density lipoprotein) known as "good cholesterol," and VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein). Each one of the lipoproteins has a job to do. The VLDL's travel through your bloodstream, unloading fat along the way. With the fat gone, the remaining cholesterol and protein pieces form the LDL's. The LDL's then carry the cholesterol to different parts of your body. As they travel through your bloodstream, some cholesterol pieces can get stuck on blood vessel walls. This can lead to narrowing of these blood vessel walls, or blockages, that can result in heart disease. HDL cholesterol helps free some of the LDL cholesterol left in the blood vessels and returns it back to the liver, where it is repackaged into new VLDL's, or it is excreted from the body. Having high levels of HDL's in your bloodstream is desired because they act like cleaners, helping to get rid of the excess cholesterol.

Maintaining a diet that is low in saturated and trans fats and high in soluble fiber can help lower cholesterol and lower your risk for heart disease. If you are overweight, losing weight can also help reduce your numbers. A regular exercise program can help raise your HDL's and promote a gradual weight loss that will allow you to keep your weight off. Changing your lifestyle is an effective way to lower or maintain your cholesterol, but it can take up to six months to see changes in your cholesterol numbers.

It's important to have your cholesterol monitored by your doctor, especially if there is known heart disease in your family. A registered dietitian can educate you on what foods to eat in your diet to help lower your cholesterol.

By Sophie Kamveris