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Why Is Cholesterol a Problem to Human Circulation?

Cholesterol poses a problem to human circulation because of the potential for plaque to build up within the arteries of the circulatory system, thus inhibiting the free flow of blood, oxygen, and vital nutrients to the heart and other organs.

  1. Cholesterol: The Good and the Bad

    • When internal (genetics) and external (foods consumed) components collide, you are left with certain levels of high-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol) and low-density lipoproteins (bad cholesterol) in your body.

    The Way Cholesterol Travels in the Blood

    • Cholesterol travels via customized protein carriers called lipoproteins. The nature of the lipoprotein carrier decides what will eventually happen to the cholesterol in your body.

    What Becomes of Cholesterol in the Body

    • Extra cholesterol is sometimes delivered to your liver, which will result in its safe metabolization. Sometimes the added cholesterol will embed itself inside your arteries, causing plaque and culminating in coronary heart disease.

    What is Plaque?

    • Plaque is the hard, waxy matter built up by fats, LDL cholesterol and other substances in your body. The matter embeds itself in the inner walls of arteries, narrows the passageway and prevents the free flow of blood throughout the circulatory system. This "hardening of the arteries" is technically called atherosclerosis.

    When Circulation of Cholesterol May Prove Fatal

    • The main damage happens when a hardened artery ruptures, and a blood clot travels somewhere else in your body. If the blood clot goes to the heart, a heart attack can occur. If the clot enters a vessel in the brain, a stroke may occur.

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