Is there a bad Cholesterol and good Cholesterol?
Before we focus on to answering this question let us answer the second question first!
What is cholesterol?
It’s a waxy, fat based substance present in your body cells. It is not possible for this “waxy” substance, named cholesterol to circulate in your body freely. To make its transportation possible , it is shaped into small bundles with carrier protein molecules. The lipids or fat cholesterol is inside and protein covering outside. The small bundles or molecules can easily mix with blood and circulate. They are termed “lipo-proteins”. These lipoproteins are mainly formed in liver cells.
What function it performs in our body?
That is a good question, thought you would never ask!. It has very important function to perform in your body.
1) It forms component of hormones in both men(testosterone) and women(estrogens)
2) It forms vitamin D in your body.
3) It builds up outer lining of your body‘s cells.
4) It is a component of bile acid, which helps in digestion of fats in body.
How much cholesterol or “lipoprotein” do you need each day for all these functions?
It’s a very relevant query. Anything close to 1000mg is what you need every day, of lipoprotein(cholesterol). And that is all being formed by your liver cells. You will be needing 300mg of cholesterol from dairy, meat, fish products. Anything extra will not be of any benefit to your body’s well being. The reason is quite simple. Like oily cutlery that can clog the sink drain one day, extra cholesterol(waxy substance) may clog your circulatory system if the load is in excess of what is needed. Cholesterol(lipoproteins) present in your body are of different types. These types are HDL, LDL, VLDL, ILDL. Their normal concentration in blood should be maintained for healthy bodily functions, particularly of your cardio-vascular system. But not all lipoprotein types can be harmful for your body.
Yes ,there is bad cholesterol and good cholesterol!
“Bad cholesterol” is also known as Low density Lipoprotein(LDL). This is a form in which most cholesterol is concentrated and carried to different tissues of your body. It is called low density because the particles are less dense than other lipoprotein types. It gets easily deposited along the walls of your arteries while it circulates, if concentration is on higher side. It results in formation of plaque and ultimate narrowing of effected vessel’s lumen. Of serious danger are the blood vessels of your heart, as narrowing of lumen will hamper its oxygen supply. Then there is more serious consequence of breakaway of plaque from main deposit and causing sudden heart attack by blocking major vessel or its branch to heart muscles. The safe blood level of “bad cholesterol” is 100mg/dl or less, above and beyond which it can get real bad! The VLDL(very low density lipoproteins)and IDL(intermediate density lipoproteins) also fall into same category. It happens so, that they ultimately get converted into LDL.
Now the “good” cholesterol! HDL(high density lipoprotein). And why it so called? It is a volunteer, acting to get rid of excess cholesterol from circulation. What it does is ,it absorbs extra circulating cholesterol ,takes it to liver. From there through bile juice the excess cholesterol is excreted. A blood level of 60mg/dl is protective(negative risk factor) for your heart and circulatory integrity. Level below 40mg/dl puts you at high risk of coronary artery disease.
Now you know who’s bad, what you should be doing to protect yourself?
Making physical activity your routine, is one good answer. A slow to brisk walk of 30 minutes daily to total of two and half hours/week maximum will increase your “good cholesterol HDL”. quitting smoking raise HDL blood level. Loose excess weight you carry. Prefer vegetable fat over animal fat. Use olive oil, canola oil or peanut oil. Your meal platter should have more fresh fruits and vegetables. All these measure will raise your HDL, the “good cholesterol” and will keep you clean from excess and “bad cholesterol”.
