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Cholesterol is the amount of fat in your blood stream. Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high blood cholesterol, can be serious because many people with high cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease.

 

Two kinds of lipoproteins carry cholesterol through your body. The two types are LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein). The LDL is often called the bad cholesterol because high LDL cholesterol leads to a buildup in your arteries. The higher your LDL level, the greater your risk of developing heart disease. The HDL is called the good cholesterol because it carries the cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver, which removes it from your body. The higher your HDL level, the lower your chance of getting heart disease. You can check your cholesterol levels with a simple blood test.

 

There are a variety of things that affect your cholesterol levels including things you can and cannot control. Things that you can control include the foods you eat, your weight and your activity level.

 

Saturated and trans fats raise your cholesterol levels, and cholesterol is prevalent in foods that come from animal sources such as egg yolks, meats and cheese. Being overweight and a lack of regular exercise also tends to raise cholesterol levels. Some of the things that you cannot control are your age and sex and whether high cholesterol runs in your family.

 

You should see your doctor to have your cholesterol checked if high cholesterol runs in your family or if you are worried about your risk.

 

Triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood that can raise your risk for heart disease, is also typically measured with a blood test. Things that can increase your triglyceride levels include being overweight, a lack of physical activity, cigarette smoking, excessive drinking, a high-carbohydrate diet, certain diseases and drugs and genetic disorders.

 

Consult with your doctor to find out whether you are at risk for high cholesterol and high triglycerides. For more general information about high cholesterol and triglycerides, visit www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

 

Total Cholesterol Level	Category
Less than 200 mg/dL	Desirable
200 – 239 mg/dL	Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above	High
LDL Cholesterol Level	Category
Less than 100 mg/dL	Optimal
100 – 129 mg/dL	Near/above optimal
130 – 159 mg/dL	Borderline high
160 – 189 mg/dL	High
190 mg/dL and above	Very high
HDL Cholesterol Level	Category
Less than 40 mg/dL	A major risk factor for heart disease
40 – 59 mg/dL	The higher, the better
60 mg/dL and above	Protective against heart disease
Triglycerides	Category
150 – 199 mg/dL	Borderline high
200 mg/dL and above	High