Cholesterol

Your body uses cholesterol to hold cells together and make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help digest foods. Cholesterol is contained in animal products, such as meat, eggs, and butter. Two main types of lipoproteins help move cholesterol through the blood: LDL ("bad cholesterol") and HDL ("good cholesterol"). While your body needs cholesterol to work properly, too much can cause problems. The only way to determine your cholesterol level is through a blood cholesterol test.

 

Cholesterol: An Introduction

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found in all of your body's cells. Your body needs cholesterol in order to work properly. This is because your body uses cholesterol to hold cells together. Your body also uses cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods.
 
However, if too much cholesterol gets into your blood it can cause problems. This is known as high cholesterol. Other names for high cholesterol include hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia.
 

Where Does Cholesterol Come From?

Cholesterol comes from two places.
 Your body actually makes most of the cholesterol it needs in the liver. The rest of the cholesterol in your body comes from the food you eat.
 
Cholesterol is only made by animals, so you can only get it by eating animal products, such as:
 
  • Meat
  • Chicken
  • Fish
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Cheese
  • Whole milk.
     
These foods can provide you with more than enough cholesterol. You will not find cholesterol in anything that comes from a plant. For example, cholesterol-free foods include fruits, vegetables, or whole grains.
 
(Cholesterol Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD