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Cholesterol And Levels Of Cholesterol Essay

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Introduction: In the United States, more than 2,100 people die from cardiovascular disease each day. According to the American Heart Association, too much cholesterol in a person’s blood can lead to a heart disease and stroke (1). Cholesterol is the most common sterol in animal. Plants also have sterols in their structure, however human enzyme systems can only digest animal sterols (2). Cholesterol is produced in our bodies by the liver (endogenous) or could come from the foods we eat (exogenous). Both kinds are transported to and from the cells by lipoproteins: LDL and HDL. LDL cholesterol is considered to be the ”bad” cholesterol, since it contributes in depositing plaque in the arteries, therefore contributing to atherosclerosis. HDL, on the other hand, is considered to be the” good” cholesterol since it has the opposite effect; it removes the LDL cholesterol from the arteries carrying it back to the liver, therefore reducing risks of atherosclerosis. Maintaining the low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL is extremely important, as HDL is responsible for moving the cholesterol from the blood to the liver whereas LDL is the reason for the build up inside the artery therefore increasing the risk of the cardiovascular diseases. In order to assess cholesterol levels in the body, blood serum cholesterol is tested. It is recommended that total cholesterol (TC) level in an individual to be less than 200 mg/dl (desirable level). The level between 200 – 239 mg/dl is

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