Cholesterol is a big topic. It's essentially fat in your blood. It's necessary to have, but often people have too much. It's produced in the liver and obtained from food. It helps produce [[Hormones]], in particular (perhaps) [[Vitamin D]]. It's part of what builds up cell membranes. It's almost certainly got myriad other necessary functions. # [[Biometrics]] Ranges Ignoring units, because they're seemingly standard across tests and they make the table uglier. | Metric | Normal | "Optimal" per [[Good Energy (book)]] | | ------------------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | | HDL | > 40 (men) and > 50 (women) | 50 to 90 | | LDL | < 100 | | | Triglycerides | < 150 | < 80 | | "Total" | < 200 | | | Triglyceride-to-HDL Ratio | (none specified) | 1.5 or less | # HDL **High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol** - aka "_good cholesterol_" is _good_ because it can help regulate the amount of cholesterol in the blood. In particular, it helps remove excess cholesterol. # LDL **Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol** - aka "_bad cholesterol_" - high levels can build up plaque on artery walls. Excess LDL can lead to [[Heart Attack]], heart disease, & [[Stroke]]. # Triglycerides The weird one, to me. Triglycerides are a form of fat that can be used by the body for energy while [[Intermittent Fasting|fasting]]. [[Casey Means]] suggests the "normal" range is way too high. Like LDL, it contributes to heart disease when its prevalent in excess. > [!cite] From [[Good Energy (book)]] > High triglycerides are almost certainly a warning sign that you're eating too much [[sugar]], refined carbs, and/or alcohol, and probably not engaging in enough physical activity. ## "Total Cholesterol" Total cholesterol is actually calculated as `HDL + LDL + 1/5 of the triglycerides`. # Management - In short, see [[Good Energy Principles]] **** # More ## Source - [[Good Energy (book)]] - [[Simple Science Fitness]] - [[Outlive]] - https://www.niahealth.co/post/biomarkers-outlive?fbp=fb.1.1741370568712.661675381407437949 - ChatGPT ## Related