Normally, the liver makes all the cholesterol the body needs. Cholesterol helps your body build new cells, insulate nerves, and produce hormones.
But cholesterol also enters your body from animal-based foods like milk, eggs, and meat.
Too much cholesterol in your body is a risk factor for heart disease.
There are two forms of cholesterol that many people are familiar with. These are the forms in which cholesterol travels in the blood.
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol)
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol.)
How do you measure cholesterol levels?
A blood test called a lipid panel or lipid profile can measure your cholesterol levels. Before the test, you'll need to fast (not eat or drink anything but water) for 9 to 12 hours.
How Does High Cholesterol Cause Heart Disease?
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls of your arteries. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart muscle is slowed down or blocked.
The blood carries oxygen, and if not enough blood (oxygen) reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.
What Are the Symptoms of High Cholesterol?
High cholesterol typically doesn’t cause any symptoms. In most cases it only causes emergency events. For instance, a heart attack or stroke can result from the damage caused by high cholesterol.
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