Cholesterol

Another factor that can be hazardous to our health is cholesterol. In this topic, I'm gonna discuss all about cholesterol, it's effect, types and many more.

First lets know more what cholesterol is:

This handout is for people who are eager to learn more about cholesterol levels and health. Cholesterol is a kind of fat (lipid) made by the body. It is necessary for good health and is found in every cell in the body. On the other hand, a high cholesterol level in the blood (hypercholesterolaemia) is linked with an increased peril of heart disease and stroke. Seven out of 10 people over 45 have high cholesterol.

Why is High Cholesterol a Problem?

The major risk linked with high cholesterol is cardiovascular disease (CVD). This comprises diseases of the heart and blood vessels. High cholesterol causes blood vessels to become narrowed with fatty deposits called plaques. This can result in heart attacks, strokes and blood vessel problems. For more information just search Cholesterol in the search box you can see in this page.

Types of Cholesterol:

Cholesterol is elated around the body in the blood attached to a protein. This mixture of fat and protein is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins can be high density (HDL), low density (LDL) or very low density (VLDL), depending on how much protein there is in relation to fat.

LDL (low density lipoprotein)

Most of the body's cholesterol is elated as LDL. This is made up of frequently fat and a small quantity of protein. Too much LDL in the blood can cause cholesterol deposits to build up in the arteries, making it harder for the blood to stream through these blood vessels. High levels of LDL in the blood are linked with an increased danger of CVD. So LDL is sometimes referred to as " bad cholesterol".

HDL (high density lipoprotein)

A small quantity of cholesterol is elated as HDL, which is mostly made up of protein and a small quantity of fat.

HDL actually helps prevent cholesterol deposits building up in the arteries. Having low levels of HDL (compared with LDL) in the blood is associated with an increased risk of CVD. So HDL is sometimes referred to as "good cholesterol". Women tend to have a higher levels of HDL cholesterol than men.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a different type of fat, which mostly come from fats in your food. Energy that is eaten and not used immediately is converted into triglycerides and transported to fat cells for storage. This is an important source of stored energy.

Although most triglycerides are stored in fat tissue, low levels are also found in the blood. They are carried in the blood as very low density lipoproteins (VLDL).

Causes of of high cholesterol:

There are several factors that may contribute to high blood cholesterol:

• a diet that's high in saturated fat and, less so, high in cholesterol (see How diet affects cholesterol below)


• lack of exercise may increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol

• family history - people are at a higher risk of high cholesterol if they have a direct male relative aged under 55 or a female relative aged under 65 affected by heart disease

• being overweight, which may increase LDL ("bad") cholesterol and decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol

• age and sex - cholesterol generally rises slightly with increasing age, and men are more likely to be affected than women

• drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol (ie more than three to four units per day for men and two to three units per day for women)

Sources: http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/cholesterol.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol