The Good, the Bad and the Difference

The Facts About Cholesterol

By Carma Haley

Cholesterol is in the news. Good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, medications and foods that help to reduce your cholesterol level – what's it all about? According to the American Heart Association, it's about living a longer, healthier life.

The cholesterol in our bodies comes from two different sources. One is the food we eat and digest; the other is our bodies themselves. In the body, cholesterol is produced by the liver and used to "manufacture" the membranes that surround each cell in our body as well as aid the body in producing and using vitamin D and various hormones. Cholesterol is a needed element, however we do not need more then our livers produce. As the cholesterol we eat is an "added" source, our bodies are getting the substance in excess.

The cholesterol the body gets from food is called "dietary cholesterol," and is found in animal foods such as meat and dairy, but is not present in plants such as fresh fruits and vegetables. So, as meats and dairy foods are consumed, the body is getting an extra amount of cholesterol. If an overabundance of dietary cholesterol is consumed, the amount of cholesterol in the body can affect its normal function.

There are two types of cholesterol, LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). As each type of cholesterol has an effect on the body's cholesterol level – which affects its level of normal function – it is important to know the difference between them.

LDL is responsible for carrying the greatest amount of cholesterol. Thus, LDL is known as "bad" cholesterol. If the body has an excess of LDL cholesterol in the blood, it can for a thick substance called plaque that collects along the walls of arteries in the body, including the heart and brain. This formation of plaque along the arterial walls is known as "atherosclerosis," or hardening or thickening of the arteries. If these passages for the blood are narrowed, the flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients for the body are reduced. This reduction of oxygen and nutrients to the body can lead to cardiovascular disease or stroke.

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