The Real Deal with Cholesterol

Cholesterol – you hear the word all the time but what does it really mean?

Because it often has negative connotations, it may surprise you to learn that cholesterol is not inherently bad. In fact, this naturally occurring substance plays a critical role in the formation of cell membranes and the manufacture of hormones. Cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood stream instead, it is transported in and to of cells by carriers called low density lipoproteins or LDL and high density lipoproteins or HDL.

When the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream increases, the body needs to create additional lipoproteins to transport them. LDL is known as bad cholesterol because too much of it results in plaque build up on the arterial walls. HDL has been dubbed good cholesterol because it aids in removing cholesterol from the body, carrying it away from the arteries to the liver where it is passed out of the body.


Transcription by: Scribe4you Transcription Services