Why High Blood Cholesterol Level Is Not Good For Your Health

Cholesterol shares a common characteristic with fat in that neither is water soluble. This means that they do not dissolve in water or, in the case of a human body, blood.  They have to be transported around the body by attaching to a substance known as lipoproteins. There are various types of lipoproteins in the human body but the two that most interest a person with a high blood cholesterol level are low density and high density lipoproteins (abbreviated to LDL and HDL cholesterol).

LDL cholesterol is also known as bad cholesterol. It is not really bad but provides a vital role in transporting cholesterol throughout the body where it can be used in a variety of vital functions. However when there is an excess amount of cholesterol or LDL cholesterol in the body it tends to have bad consequences for the body. LDL cholesterol is noted to 'stick' to the inner walls of many blood vessels, especially the arteries. This is known as plaque on the arteries and can have a number of consequences for a person's health.

Plaque on the arteries can lead to their hardening, also known as atherosclerosis. Excessive plaque can also make it harder to push blood around the body because the volume of the artery is decreased. This can put excess strain on the heart and cause high blood pressure. Poor circulation can reduce the blood supply to various parts of the body, particularly the extremities, leading to increased chance of illness to these areas. Plaque can also break off the inner wall and cause a blockage. This could later cause a blood clot that could lead to a stroke. So in worst case scenarios, a high blood cholesterol level can be potentially life threatening.

HDL cholesterol is often referred to as the good cholesterol because it takes cholesterol from the rest of the body to the liver, where it can be eliminated from the body. Thus HDL cholesterol is good because it has the potential to reduce your blood cholesterol level and thus reduce the chances of the previously described illnesses occurring.

So a person with a high blood cholesterol level needs to reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol. But how do you know if you have high blood cholesterol ?

The guidelines for high blood cholesterol level are when the total cholesterol in your blood is as high as 240 milligrams per deciliter of your blood. This is when you will be most at risk of suffering from various cardiovascular illnesses. A blood cholesterol level of between 200 and 239 mg/dl is considered to be a borderline risk.

To determine your exact blood cholesterol level means having a cholesterol test done. These days, doctors are advising people 20 years and over to get a test done every 5 years. High cholesterol was generally thought to be a middle aged person's problem but with changes in society this has lowered the age considerably.

Other factors that can affect a person’s blood cholesterol level include heredity, age; gender, stress as well as excess body weight.