Everyone has heard the term cholesterol, but you may not be sure what it means.  Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is found in certain foods and is also produced in the body, according to GreenFacts Scientific Board. Our bodies  produce approximately 2 grams of cholesterol per day, and that makes up about 85 percent of blood cholesterol, while only about 15 percent comes from dietary sources, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.  Cholesterol that is produced in the human body is a fat manufactured in the liver or intestines, and cholesteral derived from food comes from eggs, milk, cheese, liver, meats and poultry, according to the Joslin Diabetes Center of Harvard Medical School. Cholesterol is important to health and the body uses it in a number of ways, such as in the construction of cell membranes, and it is vital to proper cellular function, according to the National Institute of Health and the dietary guidelines of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.   These two source further state that cholesterol is the most abundant sterol, or natural steriod alcohol, in the body. Sterols are the building blocks for steriod hormons such as estrogen, testsoterone, aldersterone, and bile acid; bile acid  aids in the digestion of fat. Sterols are also the precursors of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Without cholesterol, our bodies would be incapable of converting the sun’s UV rays into vitamin D.

However, too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause build ups in the artery walls, which can lead to coronary heart disease and other health complications, including Alzheimer’s. When the term “cholesterol” is bandied about, it is most often in reference to the unhealthy build up in the bloodstream that clogs the arteries that carry blood flow into the heart and brain. As cholesterol builds up it becomes a plaque in the arteries. High cholesterol over a period of years is linked to cardiovascular disease.  “Eventually, little lesions on the arteries tend to occasionally bleed and rupture, in which case it can stop and block an artery entirely,” says Dr. David Gordon, physician in the division of cardiovascular sciences and special assistant for clinical studies at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.  This is what happens when someone has a heart attack, and there are similar arteries in the brain that can cause strokes.

Problems related to cholesterol can be chronic or acute.  “Chronic problems are the gradual stiffening and narrowing of arteries, which leads to diminished blood supply and things like angina, or chest pain when exercising,” says Gordon.  “Acute complications are when a plaque suddenly ruptures and a clot forms and blocks arteries.”  High cholesterol can put people at risk for contracting  Alzheimer’s disease.  By limiting the amount of cholesterol build up, you are in turn preventing these potentially detrimental health conditions. 

Feeling fine should not deter cholesterol screening. “Blood cholesterol is not something that one can detect by any noticeable symptoms,” says Stanley.  Checking cholesterol levels should be included in regular check-ups. If you have a family history of heart disease or stroke, suffer from heart-related or circulatory problems like hypertension or high triglycerides, or are over age forty-five, you should watch cholesterol more closely.     

A blood test can measure total cholesterol, but this overall number is not a significant indicator of cholesterol health and cholesterol risk.  Since cholesterol is a good and necessary component, there are measures of “good” and “bad” cholesterol that can be measured by a lipid panel. “It will not only tell you the amount of cholesterol but will break it down,” says Kathleen Stanley, certified diabetes educator and registered dietician at Central Baptist Hospital Diabetes Education and marketing/communications chair of the American Diabetes Association Community Leadership Board.  Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream in different packages called lipoproteins, and these are either low-density lipoproteins that deliever cholesterol to the body, or they are high-density lipoproteins that take cholesterol out of the bloodstream. “HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is good,” says Gordon.  “If you have an HDL of 100, which is a very high level, you are at low risk for a heart attack.  If LDL, or low density lipoprotein, is high, you have a high risk for heart attack.”  In other words, you can remember that H should be the high number and L should be the low number.  Young people are advised to test once every five years while middle-aged people are asked to test annually. 

The first step in lowering cholesterol is watching your diet.  “Eat smaller portions of meat, more fruits and vegetables and things that enable you to lower the saturated fat intake and overall fat intake,” says Gordon.  There are good and bad fats.  “Fats you should emphasize are vegetable oils like olive oil, canola oil and unsaturated fat like corn oil,” says Gordon.  Bad fats that raise your cholesterol are any amount of trans fats and high levels of saturated fats found in most animal fats, butter fats and a few plant fats like coconut or tropical oil. 

Be sure to discuss any new diet plans with your doctor.  “There is evidence that a higher fiber diet can help as well as a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids,” says Stanley.  Since many of the proteins in genes that are susceptible to  Alzheimer’s disease function in cholesterol-mediated pathways, or the arteries that cholesterol travel in, your diet should give your brain a boost as well.  “Try to follow the basic rules of increasing your vegetable intake and having a diet rich in antioxidants.  The best data supporting this evidence comes from analyzing the Mediterranean-style diet,” says Dr. Greg Jicha, neurologist at the University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Center and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.  Research shows that fish oil can also lower cholesterol and promote brain health.

Second, focus on making healthier lifestyle choices.  “You can improve circulation through physical activity,” says Stanley.  You may even want to contact the government and let them know that you are interested in banning transfats.  “Research shows that transfats are hard on our arteries and veins and contribute to fatty build-up,” says Stanley.  “With effort, the government has tried to eliminate transfats from as many foods as possible.”  Monitoring cholesterol is similar to monitoring diabetes such that healthcare professionals encourage people to know their numbers. 

Sometimes people turn to medications because cholesterol is out of their control.  “There are people who are genetically born with a defect in metabolizing cholesterol and they can eat a perfectly normal or low fat diet and still have high cholesterol,” says Gordon.  The most proven cholesterol-lowering drugs are called statins. 

The best thing you can do is take the time to understand how cholesterol affects your body and find out where you stand.  Let those you care about know that a simple blood test can suggest your risk for disease and that there are steps you can take to be proactive.