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Know Your Cholesterol Level

Posted: Feb. 1, 2007

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body. In fact, it is needed for the body to function normally but your body makes enough cholesterol for its needs. When there is too much cholesterol in your body, it is deposited in arteries, including those of the heart, which can lead to narrowing of the arteries and to heart disease.

High blood cholesterol does not produce symptoms, so many people may not know that their blood cholesterol is too high. However, blood cholesterol can be easily checked and can be controlled.

Cholesterol is carried in the blood in particles called lipoproteins. These particles are made up of cholesterol on the inside and protein on the outside. There are two kinds of lipoproteins:

• Low-density lipoproteins (LDL): These are the major type of lipoprotein that carries cholesterol in the bloodstream to the body. These are the type that can lead to a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries and lead to heart disease.
• High-density lipoproteins (HDL): These particles carry cholesterol back to the liver to remove it from the body. Higher levels of HDL are considered good.

• Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL.
• Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ("bad" cholesterol): Less than 100 mg/dL.
• High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ("good" cholesterol): 40 mg/dL or higher.
• Triglycerides (calories ingested in a meal and not used immediately by tissues are converted to triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored): Less than 150 mg/dL.

• Diet. Certain foods have types of fat that raise your cholesterol level. These types of fats include saturated fat, trans fatty acids or trans fats, and dietary cholesterol. Saturated fats come largely from animal fat in the diet, but also some vegetable oils such as palm oil. Trans fats are made when vegetable oil is hydrogenated to harden it. Research suggests that trans fatty acids can raise cholesterol levels. Dietary cholesterol is found in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meat and dairy products.
• Weight. Being overweight tends to increase LDL levels, lowers HDL levels, and increases total cholesterol level.
• Physical inactivity. Lack of regular physical activity can lead to weight gain, which could raise your LDL cholesterol level.
• Heredity. High blood cholesterol can run in families. An inherited genetic condition results in very high LDL cholesterol levels. This condition is called familial hypercholesterolemia.
• Age and sex. As people get older, their LDL cholesterol levels tend to rise. Men tend to have lower HDL levels than women. Younger women tend to have lower LDL levels than men, but higher levels at older ages (after age 55 years).

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