Cholesterol is a substance that can be found in various parts of the body. The liver supplies the body with about 80% of the cholesterol it needs, for different body functions, which leaves only 20% of cholesterol from the food we eat.
Cholesterol is needed for different purposes, like hormone creation and cell maintenance. Cholesterol makes up the membranes of the cells, which gives cells its structure and integrity. The myelin sheath that covers the nerves also needs cholesterol for proper functioning.
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The guidelines set out by the American Heart Association are as follows :
Total cholesterol :
Less than 200 mg/dl is a desirable outcome (mg/dl stands for milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood).
200 mg/dl to 239mg/dl is deemed to be borderline high risk.
240 mg/dl is considered to by at high risk to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
Total cholesterol includes both LDL and HDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol is considered to be bad cholesterol because it tends to stick to the wall of the arteries which leads to atherosclerosis and eventually heart disease.
The guideline for LDL cholestrol is :
Less than 100mg/dl is optimal
100mg/dl to 129 mg/dl is near optimal
130mg/dl to 159mg/dl is borderline high
160mg/dl to 189mg/dl is high
190mg/dl is very high
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