Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is found in the bloodstream and in every cell of the body. It is critical to the structure of cell membranes and is also used by cells to make the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol. However, when levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream are too high, it increases the chances of developing atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke

High blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) is a condition in which the levels of total blood cholesterol are higher than normal limits. In general, the higher your blood cholesterol, the higher your chances of cardiovascular disease. However, there are two types of cholesterol: LDL (for low density lipoprotein), also known as “bad” cholesterol and HDL (for high density lipoprotein), also called “good cholesterol.

When a doctor tells you your cholesterol level is 225 mg/dL (meaning there are 225 milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood), this number refers to total blood cholesterol, which includes both LDL and HDL cholesterol. The desirable range for total blood cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, while 200-239 mg/dL is considered borderline high. A total blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL and above is considered high cholesterol. The good news is, if you have high cholesterol, lowering it can significantly reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.