What Is Cholesterol?
Knowing what
Cholesterol
(ko-LES-ter-ol)
is and its
function in the body
will help you to better understand high blood pressure.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found
in all cells of the body. Your body needs some
cholesterol to work the right way. Your body makes all
the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is also found in
some of the foods you eat.
Cholesterol in the body makes hormones, vitamin D, and
substances that help you digest foods. Blood is watery,
and cholesterol is fatty. Just like oil and water, the
two do not mix. To travel in the bloodstream,
cholesterol is carried in small packages called
lipoproteins (lip-o-PRO-teens). The small packages are
made of fat (lipid) on the inside and proteins on the
outside. Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol
throughout your body. It is important to have healthy
levels of both:
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is
sometimes called bad cholesterol. High LDL
cholesterol leads to a buildup of cholesterol in
arteries. The higher the LDL level in your blood, the
greater chance you have of getting heart disease.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is
sometimes called good cholesterol.
HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of your body
back to your liver. The liver removes the cholesterol
from your body. The higher your HDL cholesterol level,
the lower your chance of getting heart disease
