What Is It About Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a substance we hear about almost everyday. Its in the news and its often one of the items that our doctor talks to us about when we have a physical and/or blood test. In simple terms, heres what it is and why it is important. Cholesterol is a form of fat that is produced by our bodies and also taken in from many of the foods we eat. For health discussion purposes, it is generally referred to as HDLs (high density lipoproteins) and LDLs (low density lipoproteins). HDLs are considered to be good fats, and you want to see blood test results that show your HDLs to be above 40 mg/dL. LDLs are considered to be bad fats, and on a blood test you want those to be under 100 mg/dL. An acceptable target for total cholesterol is under 200mg/dL, with numbers around 160 being considered even better. LDLs can form plaque on the inside of our arteries, which can lead to various problems including stroke and heart attack. HDLs appear to help carry LDLs out of the blood to the liver where they can be disposed of safely. Triglycerides are another type of fat found in the body. They are often talked about in relation to cholesterol. Generally, people with high levels of triglycerides have high levels of LDLs too. Triglyceride levels should be under 160 mg/dL. 2005 Thomas D. Manfredi, MS
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