What is cholesterol?
what is cholesterol Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s normal to have cholesterol. Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body because it’s used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed bodily functions. But too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease (which leads to heart attack) and for stroke. Hypercholesterolemia is the medical term for high levels of blood cholesterol. • The Sources of Cholesterol • LDL and HDL Cholesterol: What’s Bad and What’s Good? • What Can Cholesterol Do? • Common Misconceptions About Cholesterol This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 04/07/08.
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in your body’s cells. It’s normal to have cholesterol. It’s an important part of a health body because it’s used for producing cell membranes and some hormones, and serves other needed body functions. But too high a level of cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack. It’s also a risk factor for stroke; Hypercholesterolemia is the term for high levels of blood cholesterol.
