Australians and Cholesterol LevelsYou may have been told by your doctor that your cholesterol is above the normal range, statistics show that almost 1 in 3 Australians aged between 30- 65 have been told by doctors that they have high cholesterol. We live in a fortunate society where you can easily access treatment for the management of healthy cholesterol levels. Yet there are a percentage of those who are unable to take cholesterol-lowering drugs due to side effects.
Why Do We Need Cholesterol?Although it is often spoken of in a negative manner, cholesterol is a very important substance for many of your body’s functions. You cannot function without cholesterol because it is vital for:
- Cell membrane structure
- Hormone production (oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol)
- Vitamin D production
- Production of bile acids
- Digestion and nutrient absorption
- Brain and neurological function
Types of CholesterolThere are different types of cholesterol, and these have varied roles in your body.
- LDL cholesterol carries the cholesterol and other fat soluble nutrients in the blood to the cells. If there is too much LDL in the system, your arteries and blood vessels can become clogged and pose a danger to heart health that is why LDL is known as ‘bad’ cholesterol.
- HDL cholesterol removes excess cholesterol particularly from your arteries taking it back to the liver for recycling or excretion. HDL is known as ‘good’ cholesterol.