Cholesterol Good or Bad

1. An important component of a cell membranes. 

2. materials in hormone systhesis

3. materials for bile salts systhesis (for digestion)

1. Produced from liver. 

2. Absorbed from food containing cholesterol

Normal level cholesterol itself is essential for body function, however it poses a risk when cholesterol being deposited on arterial wall by a cholesterol transporter called LDL. The more cholesterol we ingested, the more transporter we need, thus higher LDL we have. 

Since cholesterol is a fat, it can't travel alone in the bloodstream. It would end up as useless globs (imagine bacon fat floating in a pot of water). To get around this problem, the body packages cholesterol and other lipids into minuscule protein-covered particles that mix easily with blood. These tiny particles, called lipoproteins (lipid plus protein), move cholesterol and other fats throughout the body. 

LDL is known as "bad" cholesterol because it delivers cholesterol to tissues and the in the process of delivering they deposit on arterial wall. High LDL strongly associated with the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Click HERE for reference. 

HDL is good because they reversely transport cholesterol back from plaque in artery into the liver. 

1. Increase HDL as much as possible

2. Decrease LDL as much as possible

No, even though HDL has been considered 'good cholesterol,' drugs that increase overall HDL levels have fallen out of favor in recent years because of clinical trials that showed no benefit in cardiovascular disease

Despite several influential heart disease organizations holding the position that LDL is a cause of heart attack, it has long been recognized that LDL-C is a poor marker of risk for CVD Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here. Thus, with further study,  practice of lowering LDL might be revised.