Blood cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance
made by your liver. Blood cholesterol is essential for good
health. Your body needs it to perform important jobs, such
as making hormones and digesting fatty foods.
Your body makes all the blood cholesterol it needs. Experts
recommend that people eat as little dietary cholesterol as
possible.
Dietary cholesterol is found in animal foods,
including meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, and dairy products.
Learn more about preventing high cholesterol by making
healthy eating choices.
What do blood cholesterol numbers mean?
Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
When you go to a health care professional to get your
cholesterol checked, this test will usually check the levels
of cholesterol and triglycerides in your body. (A
cholesterol check is also called a lipid panel or lipid
profile.)
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol. Having
high levels of LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in
your arteries and result in heart disease or stroke.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol. HDL
is known as "good" cholesterol because high levels of it can
lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that
your body uses for energy. The combination of high levels of
triglycerides with either low HDL cholesterol or high LDL
cholesterol levels can increase your risk for heart attack
and stroke.
Total cholesterol, the total amount of cholesterol
in your blood based on your HDL, LDL, and triglycerides
numbers.
What is high cholesterol?
If you are an adult or child, high cholesterol is having a
total cholesterol above 200 mg/dL. This condition is also
called hyperlipidemia.
Millions of people in the United States have high
cholesterol. It can cause health problems.
Work with your health care team to prevent and manage high
cholesterol by working toward optimal cholesterol levels.