What are cholesterol, lipoproteins and blood lipids?
Cholesterol is made in the liver from the saturated fats in our food. It is used in the production of sex hormones, as well as the repair of cell membranes. Too much can increase our risk of developing coronary heart disease. Cholesterol uses the blood to travel around the body using ‘vehicles’ made up of proteins. These combinations of cholesterol and proteins are called lipoproteins. There are two kinds of lipoproteins: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). We often hear cholesterol referred to as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. HDL, or ‘good’ cholesterol, clears cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, where it is removed from the body. LDL, or ‘bad’ cholesterol, carries cholesterol from the liver to the cells and is associated with hardening of the arteries. This may lead to angina, heart attack and stroke. Blood lipids is the collective term for all fatty substances in the blood including LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are one of the bas
