Firstly, what is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an essential type of fat that is mainly produced by the liver and is carried in the blood. Your body needs cholesterol to function normally. All cells in the body need cholesterol, including cells in the brain, nerves, skin, muscles and heart. It is also needed to produce some hormones and for many other functions.
The body generally makes all the cholesterol it needs. Only about 20% of the cholesterol in your body comes from your diet. The remaining 80% is produced by the liver. While some dietary cholesterol is excreted via the liver, eating too much saturated fat can lead to excess cholesterol in the blood stream.
Why is high cholesterol a problem?
Too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can lead to the build up of fatty deposits that narrow our arteries. When this occurs in the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle, this is called coronary artery disease and can lead to serious complications such as angina, heart attack or stroke.
If you'd like to know more about cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, click on some of the links to the right for more detailed information.
How do I know if I have high cholesterol?
One of the concerning things about high cholesterol is that people who have it don't necessarily feel unwell or have any symptoms.
You don't have to be old, overweight or feel sick to have high cholesterol, in fact, the statistics show that as many as 1 in 2 Australians over 25 have high cholesterol.1
To find out more about whether you could be at risk of having high cholesterol, visit our 'How do I know if I have high cholesterol?' section.
The single most important step you can take in managing your cholesterol though is to talk to your doctor about cholesterol.
Your doctor can advise you on whether you should have a cholesterol test and what steps you should take to manage your cholesterol.
It's a very simple thing to do and the health benefits can be substantial. And if you think high cholesterol won't happen to you... just remember, 1 in 2 Australians over 25 have high cholesterol.1
References
1Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Heart, stroke and vascular diseases. Australian facts 2004. CVD Series No.22, May 2004.