Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women after the age of 45. High cholesterol is responsible for 70% of heart disease. It leads to arterial blockage, heart attacks, hardening of the arteries, blood clots, clogged arteries, and stroke. Over 26 million Americans have high cholesterol. High cholesterol it is not just a disease which effects adults. More and more it is being discovered that our teenagers and even preteens are walking around with this potentially life threatening condition!

When we talk about serum cholesterol levels, it is important to understand that there are actually two types of cholesterol:

1. high density lipoprotein (HDL) which is considered "good cholesterol" and is essential for normal cell functions.

2. low density lipoprotein (LDL) which is considered "bad cholesterol" because it carries fats out of the liver to the blood vessels.


It is also important to distinguish between serum cholesterol and dietary cholesterol. Serum cholesterol is the cholesterol in the bloodstream. Dietary cholesterol is cholesterol that is present in food. While eating foods high in dietary cholesterol can raise serum cholesterol, it is not the only source of serum cholesterol. Indeed, you would have some amount of serum cholesterol even if you never ate any food containing dietary cholesterol because the body produces its own cholesterol.

Cholesterol is an essential part of every cell structure and is needed for proper brain and nerve function. It is also the basis for the manufacture of sex hormones. Cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and transported through the bloodstream to the sites where it is needed. It is a fatty substance and, because blood is mainly water, it has to latch on to molecules called lipoproteins to travel around successfully. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are the major transporters of cholesterol in the bloodstream and, because LDLs seem to encourage the deposit of cholesterol in the arteries, it is known as "bad cholesterol." High-density lipoproteins (HDLs), on the other hand, are considered to be "good cholesterol" because they carry unneeded cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is broken down for removal from the body. If everything is functioning as it should, this system remains in balance. However, if there is too much cholesterol for the HDLs to pick up promptly, or if there are not enough HDLs to do the job, cholesterol can form plaque that sticks to artery walls and may eventually cause heart disease.

The National Cholesterol Education Program has set the "safe" level of total serum cholesterol (including both LDL and HDL) at 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood 9mg/dl). A reading above 200 indicates an increased potential for developing heart disease. A level of 200 to 239 is borderline, and levels over 240 are considered to indicate high risk. The normal HDL level for adult men in the United States is 45 to 50 mg/dl, and that for women is 50 to 60 mg/dl. It is suggested that higher HDL levels, such as 70 or 80 mg/dl, may protect against heart disease. An HDL level under 35 mg/dl is considered risky. So if you have a cholesterol reading of 200, with HDL at 80 and LDL at 120, you are considered at low risk for heart disease. On the other hand, even if you have a total cholesterol level well under 200, if your HDL level is under 35, you would still be considered at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In other words, as your HDL decreases, your potential for heart problems intensifies, even if your total is on the low side.