Cholesterol – What The Numbers Mean

What is Cholesterol?

Is a waxy type of fat that is found in your blood. It is made by our liver and it also comes from certain foods in our diet. Cholesterol is needed to make hormones, fat soluble vitamins and bile acids that help digest our food.

Too much cholesterol in our bodies may lead to the formation of plaque inside the walls of our arteries. This can narrow the arteries and lead to coronary artery disease.

Desired Range

Lipid Values

<200

Cholesterol

>50 for women, >40 for men

HDL

<100

LDL

<100

Triglyceride

What is Cholesterol?

HDL — High Density Lipoprotein- Is also known as good "Healthy" cholesterol. It helps to carry cholesterol from your artery walls back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body. A higher HDL may lower your risk of heart disease. The higher your value, the better.

LDL — Low Density Lipoprotein – Is also known as bad "Lousy" cholesterol. High levels of LDL can lead to fatty build up in your arteries. This build up narrows your arteries and may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. The lower your value, the better.

Triglyceride — Are the most common type of fat in your body. When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into triglycerides which are stored in your fat cells. When you need energy between meals, your body produces hormones which enable you to use your triglycerides

Check out this short video from the American Heart Association about cholesterol
https://youtu.be/inaqswqMDds

References:

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/hdl-good-ldl-bad-cholesterol-and-triglycerides

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/high-blood-cholesterol

https://www.heart.org/