Cebu City – Cholesterol gives a bad expression in most of the people, Is it really good or bad?

In all your body's cells, there is a waxy, fat-like molecule called cholesterol. To produce hormones, vitamin D, and chemicals that aid in food digestion, your body requires cholesterol. Cholesterol can have a detrimental effects when your blood has high level of this molecule. This phenomenon is called hypercholesterolemia. Consuming just enough and maintaining the healthy levels of cholesterol in the body can also have its benefits.

LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) are the two types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol throughout the body. Most of the cholesterol in your body is made up of LDL or sometimes called “bad” cholesterol. Your risk of heart disease and stroke increases if your LDL cholesterol levels are high.

HDL or sometimes called “good” cholesterol absorbs blood cholesterol and transports it back to the liver. After then, the liver removes it from the body. Your risk of heart disease and stroke can be decreased by having high levels of HDL cholesterol.

According to a Harvard study, “The biggest influence on blood cholesterol level is the mix of fats and carbohydrates in your diet—not the amount of cholesterol you eat from food.”

Cholesterol can have adverse effects on the body when it reaches high level. It is important to consult your physician who can help you maintain the optimal levels of cholesterol in the body and make it beneficial to you. // PDO I Noah Vincent D. Gallo, RND, MSPH