Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. However, cholesterol levels that are too high can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
LDL cholesterol is considered the "bad" cholesterol because it contributes to plaque buildup in your arteries. This buildup, known as atherosclerosis, narrows your arteries and increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. The higher your LDL level, the higher your heart disease risk. An LDL level less than 100 mg/dL is ideal for people at risk of heart disease. Even lower is better if you already have heart disease.
HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries, so it is considered the "good" cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are better. An HDL of 60 mg/dL or higher helps lower your risk for heart disease.
Triglycerides are another type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy. Normal triglyceride levels are less than 150 mg/dL. High triglycerides raise the risk of heart attack and stroke in some people.
If lifestyle changes alone do not lower your cholesterol enough, cholesterol-lowering medications may also be needed. Statins are medications often prescribed to help lower LDL cholesterol.
At Vitality Renewal Clinic, our caring medical team specializes in holistic and integrative treatments to optimize cholesterol levels without simply relying on statins. We provide customized care plans involving lifestyle counseling, nutrition planning, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy when needed. Contact us today to find out how our individualized approaches can help you maintain healthy cholesterol levels long-term. We accept most major insurance plans.
I hope this gives you a good overview of the key things to know about cholesterol levels. Let me know if you have any other questions!