Well, that depends on which of the different types of cholesterol are talking about. As cholesterol is a fat molecule, and therefore is not soluble in water to circulate in the blood should always be associated with another molecule that is the one which gives, say, personality.

“The various forms that the cholesterol is labeled according to the density of the molecules to which they are united,” said Dr. Ugarte. Perhaps the best known and most feared-is-low-density lipoprotein or LDL (by Low Density Lipoprotein), whom doctors nicknamed him “bad” cholesterol. This is the molecule responsible for transporting the cholesterol that is produced in the liver in its journey to various parts of the body.

Unfortunately, sometimes the LDL molecules do not reach their destination, and there begins the story of atherosclerosis. Of these it appears that not only desirable that total cholesterol is within acceptable levels, but is also a healthy sign a generous HDL cholesterol.

What levels are acceptable or desirable in terms of cholesterol? “When one speaks of total cholesterol, you want to be less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl),” replies the doctor Ugarte. The limit values are entered 200 and 239 mg / dl, high cholesterol and talked about when it goes beyond the 240 mg / dl. ”

Finer spinning, when reading the analysis of blood cholesterol should be remembered that it is preferable that LDL levels are below 160 mg / dl for premenopausal women, and less than 130 mg / dl for males and women who have undergone menopause. “To those people who have been found evidence of arterial injury or who have diabetes are asked to be their LDL levels below 100 mg / dL,” says Ugarte.

As for HDL, complete this medical nutritionist, “is desirable (for both men and women) is to be above 40 mg / dl, and is actually beneficial from the 60 mg / dl. In these cases, their presence is considered a cardiovascular protective factor. Finally, it remains to mention another type of lipids: triglycerides. These are transported by a third molecule, the very low density lipoprotein, or VLDL (Very Low Density Lipoprotein by).

“Although individually not a risk factor, if its presence in blood is high-that is above 200 mg/dl- while HDL values are low, the latter loses its protective function.”

To keep cholesterol under control, the first thing is to have a status of this potential enemy. In healthy adults, the recommendation is to get tested for blood cholesterol and, if the values are normal, repeated five years later.

How to combat it?
Now, if the levels appear to be outside what is considered healthy, the control must be repeated annually.

By Sebastian A. Rivers of the editors of La Nacion