What is cholesterol?

We’ve all more or less got a vague idea of what cholesterol is. The thick waxy substance has gained a reputation as a silent killer, due to its link with heart problems and being impossible to detect without a blood test. But it’s also essential for many bodily functions.

Cholesterol is a type of fat, so it can’t travel around the body on its own. It moves through our blood system attached to lipoproteins, which are either high-density or low-density. High-density lipoproteins, or HDL for short, is what’s known as ‘good cholesterol’. They absorb cholesterol and transport it from the arteries to the liver, where it is flushed from the body. Meanwhile, LDL is the so-called bad cholesterol.

Do we talk about LDL more often then? What else can lead to cholesterol problems? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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