Last Updated on December 31, 2019
© PinterestHow many times have you heard about the importance of keeping cholesterol levels in check? Probably way too many times. But do you even know what it means to have high cholesterol levels and what the real implications it could have for your health and your quality of life? You probably don’t. Fortunately, we are here to help!
Cholesterol is an organic molecule present in every animal cell and body fluids. It is a very specific type of lipid known as a steroid, which plays a major role in producing hormones, vitamin D, and digesting foods.
The organism produces cholesterol naturally in the liver, but it is also present in food – especially in animal-based foods. There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
They are commonly referred to as bad cholesterol and good cholesterol, respectively. High cholesterol has no signs or symptoms, but it is usually easily detected since a complete cholesterol test is always done as part of a routine examination.
#1 – Why are high cholesterol levels so dangerous?
Elevated LDL cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, a disease in which cholesterol and plaques start to accumulate on the walls of the arteries, narrowing them and thus reducing blood flow.
This causes the heart to be constantly subjected to greater stress since it has to work harder to overcome the limitations provoked by the damage on the arteries. After some time, this extra stress can eventually lead to other complications such as stroke, coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease.
In case you haven’t noticed, these heart diseases (coronary artery disease and stroke) are the two main causes of death worldwide, according to the World Health Organization – in that order.
This clearly puts into perspective the importance of avoiding risky behaviors that can jeopardize your health, and especially the condition of your heart. Along with age, sex, smoking status, and blood pressure, cholesterol levels are a clear indicator of the probability of a heart attack in the medium-long term.
