What is Total Cholesterol?
Total Cholesterol (TC) is a combination of HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol), and triglycerides. That is why you always hear that your Total Cholesterol level should be low. Your body produces all of the cholesterol it needs. The cholesterol in your diet only serves to raise your blood cholesterol level, possibly increasing your risk of atherosclerosis. If your total cholesterol is low, then generally speaking, other parameters are kept in check. While Total Cholesterol serves as a general indicator of the level of cholesterol in your blood, looking at Total Cholesterol alone can be misleading. The amount of HDL in your blood and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL; good cholesterol. (TC/HDL) are also significant indicators. The reason is because of the positive effect HDL cholesterol has in removing LDL cholesterol from your blood and arteries.
