Health Prose: A One-Minute Update for Your Health

Cholesterol: Necessary For The Body

University of Iowa Health Science Relations
First Published: November 2000
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed

But did you know there are some good aspects of cholesterol? Helmut Schrott, M.D., a professor of epidemiology in the University of Iowa College of Public Health and director of the UI Lipid Research Clinic, said that the body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function properly.

"Cholesterol is needed for cell wall functioning and for the production of hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone," said Schrott. "However, the body naturally makes cholesterol in every cell, so there is no absolute dietary need for it."

Cholesterol is naturally produced by the liver and located in cell walls. Lipoproteins, a combination of lipids (fats) and proteins, are made in the liver and carries cholesterol, fats and fat-soluble vitamins, among many other substances, to different parts of the body that need it for energy and repairs. When cholesterol rises above a certain level, it can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

You often hear about "good" and "bad" cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is known as the "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is known as the "good" cholesterol. Too much LDL-C circulating in the blood can start to build up in the walls of the arteries, especially those leading to the heart and brain.

HDL-C particles can unload cholesterol from other lipoproteins and tissues like the arteries and carry the excess cholesterol to the liver to be eliminated from the body. This removal of cholesterol is sometimes referred to as the reverse cholesterol pathway.

According to the American Heart Association, there are three levels of total cholesterol that relate to the amount of risk for heart disease risk one may have. A desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, meaning your risk for heart disease is average. A borderline high risk level for total cholesterol is 200-239 mg/dL, and a high-risk level for heart disease occurs when the total cholesterol level is 240 mg/dL or greater.

If you are at high risk for heart disease because your cholesterol is elevated, what can you do? If you are overweight, eat an unhealthy diet, or have a family history of cholesterol, Schrott recommends engaging in a healthier lifestyle.

"Although medication is a very effective way to treat high cholesterol, diet and weight loss may be the only things you need to do to lower your cholesterol," Schrott said. "Eating a diet low in saturated fat and following an exercise program are also effective in reducing the risk for other potential diseases such as diabetes and hypertension."

Sometimes being on a diet is easier said than done. Schrott said that staying on a regimented diet and exercise program is very hard for many patients.

"It's easy to lose weight and eat right when you want to," Schrott said. "It's harder when you have to."

Finding a diet and exercise plan that works for you and in which you can see results is the key. Eating more fruits and vegetables and less red meat, eggs and other foods high in saturated fat, and getting regular exercise, will greatly improve cholesterol levels. If you have high cholesterol or are at risk for high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about a plan that works for you.

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See related Patient Topics Blood/Lymphatic System, Cholesterol, Food, Nutrition and Metabolism, Heart and Circulation, Nutrition or Wellness and Lifestyle.

See related Provider Topics Blood/Lymphatic System, Cholesterol, Food, Nutrition and Metabolism, Heart and Circulation or Wellness and Lifestyle.

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