Why does the body need cholesterol?

The article is professionally consulted by BSCK II Nguyen Quoc Viet - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Cholesterol is an important substance, produced by the human body from the liver. Besides being produced naturally, cholesterol is also absorbed by the body from food. Cholesterol is not found in plants, only in foods of animal origin such as meat and dairy.

1. What is the role of cholesterol?

The role of cholesterol in the body is:
Raw material for the production of cell tissues. Supports the production of sex hormones. Supports the excretion of bile in the liver. All three roles of cholesterol above are very important, and all require the presence of cholesterol. But when cholesterol is high, it is also the source of many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.

2. LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol

Cholesterol is a water-insoluble substance, it needs to be attached to another substance to be able to be transported in the blood, which is lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are of two main types, LDL and HDL.
LDL cholesterol is low density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as bad cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol is high density lipoprotein, and is considered good cholesterol.

3. Why is LDL bad cholesterol?

LDL is bad cholesterol because if its concentration is too high for a long time, it is deposited in the walls of blood vessels and can cause atherosclerosis.
According to the American Heart Association, LDL leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of blood vessels. When the atherosclerotic plaques grow, there will be two bad consequences: first, the lumen will narrow, restricting the flow of blood; Second, blood clots will form, travel through the blood stream and can cause a blockage, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
LDL should be kept as low as possible, ideally kept below 100 mg/dL.

Tại sao cơ thể cần cholesterol? — LDL là cholesterol xấu

4. Why is HDL considered good?

HDL helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. In fact, it helps in removing LDL from the blood vessels. HDL brings LDL back to the liver to be broken down and eliminated from the body.
High HDL levels also help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and of course, low HDL levels increase these risks.
According to the US National Institutes of Health, HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or higher are protective, while levels below 40 mg/dL become a risk factor for diabetes. heart-related diseaes .
See also: Distinguish between LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol

5. Target total cholesterol level

When checking cholesterol levels, the results will return the readings of HDL, LDL and two more indicators, total cholesterol and triglycerides.
Ideal total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL, if between 200 - 239 mg/dL is the limit, and will be high if above 240 mg/dL.
Triglycerides are another type of fat found in the blood. Like cholesterol, too much triglyceride levels can have bad consequences.
High triglyceride levels are often associated with high cholesterol levels and are often associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

6. Maintain optimal cholesterol levels

Cholesterol levels are affected by many factors, some of which are controllable.
Practicing a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle is one of the best ways to have optimal cholesterol levels.
Eating foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fat, exercising regularly, maintaining a reasonable weight all contribute to keeping cholesterol levels at an optimal level as well as minimizing the risk of disease. cardiovascular theory.

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Article referenced source: Healthline.com