subject: What is Cholesterol? [print this page] What is Cholesterol? What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a material that is found in the membranes of cells in people. It is also transported via the blood plasma. Cholesterol has many useful functions, including being part of the manufacturing process of certain vitamins.
When many people hear the word cholesterol, they have negative thoughts regarding it. Nevertheless, the material actually is necessary for people. However, many in modern days have levels of cholesterol which are particularly high, and this is thought to lead to health problems. Even when we think of elevated levels, we should consider that there are different types of this substance. So let's take a closer look at some of them.
LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is what many call the "bad cholesterol" since high levels of it have been linked to heart disease, amongst other issues. The usual recommendation is for the LDL level to be below 100 mg/dl. In children, it is usually somewhere in the range of 25 up to 50.
HDL is another form, and stands for high-density lipoprotein. This is often called the "good" form of cholesterol, as raised levels of it are associated with less cardiovascular disease. While the suggested amounts are usually 40 mg/dl for adult males and 50 mg/dl for their female counterparts, many recommend having levels of 60 or above.
Those are the two main types of cholesterol seen in lipid tests. Triglycerides are also usually found in such a test, but they are not actually cholesterol, but rather an ester that comes from glycerol and three kinds of fatty acids.
