Cholesterol – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Hypercholesterolemia is the presence of abnormally high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is an essential molecule from which hormones and steroids are made. It is also used in maintaining nerve cells. Approximately 75 percent of the cholesterol that circulates in a person’s bloodstream is made by the person’s liver. The remainder is acquired from outside sources. Cholesterol is found in animal sources of food and not found in plant sources. A normal cholesterol level is less than 200 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL) of blood. A range between 200 to 239 mg/dL is considered borderline for blood cholesterol. Hypercholesterolemia is a condition whereby the cholesterol levels exceed 240 mg/dL. Cholesterol can be divided into 2 major categories: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the "bad" cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol. Triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol LDL molecules are the ...