Cholesterol level...

Normal Cholesterol level: With the rising rate of heart disease all over the world, many people worry about the cholesterol level that they may have. Cholesterol is closely related to the heart and hence it is important for people to check their cholesterol level regularly.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that is known as a lipid, and it is very useful for the body. Cholesterol is used by the body for many purposes, such as to make new cells. While some of the cholesterol you get is from food, the liver makes most of the cholesterol required by the body.

While the body requires some cholesterol, if there is too much, it starts building up in the arteries. Therefore, with the increase in cholesterol level from its normal range, it clogs the arteries and restricts the blood flow, leading to a heart attack or stroke. The acceptable normal cholesterol level in a healthy human body is 200 mg/dl.

Good Cholesterol Level: Contrary to popular belief, not all cholesterol is bad. Good cholesterol, also known as HDL or High-Density lipoprotein, clears the harmful cholesterol out of the blood and reduces the risk of a heart attack. The good cholesterol level that should be present in the human body at any time is 60 mg/dl. The lowest level of HDL cholesterol is 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women. The lower the HDL cholesterol level, the higher is the chance of a potential stroke or heart attack.

In case the HDL level is low, and the total cholesterol level is more than 200 mg/dl, then it is recommended to get a lipoprotein profile done. This helps to determine the LDL or bad cholesterol level and the triglyceride level and set an appropriate diet chart and cholesterol management schedule to control heart risk factors.

Bad Cholesterol Level: If the bad cholesterol, also known as LDL, level is high, it can clog blood vessels and thus increase the risk of a heart disease. Thus, if the bad cholesterol level increases more than the good cholesterol, it can adversely affect the heart’s normal functioning.

The optimum level of LDL that should be present in the body at any given point of time should be less than 100 mg/dl. The next near or just above optimal level is 100 to 129; the next level, which is borderline high, is 130 to159. If the level increases up to 169 to 189, it is categorized as high, and 190 mg/dl and above is considered as very high. The LDL cholesterol levels depend on many factors like coronary heart disease, diabetes etc.

High Cholesterol Level: The total cholesterol level is determined by considering all the levels of the various types of cholesterol in the body. The desirable level, which prevents the body from falling prey to coronary heart disease, is less than 22 mg/dl. Borderline high cholesterol level is 200 to 239 mg/dl. 240 mg/dl and above is a red signal, because a person with this high cholesterol level has twice the risk of a heart attack. It is always advisable to monitor one’s cholesterol level by having lipoprotein profile checks and maintaining charts so that one can maintain normal cholesterol levels.