Cholesterol is a type of fat produced in the body's cells and liver. Cholesterol is packaged into tiny particles that travel through the bloodstream to different organs in the body, where they are used to make hormones, vitamins, digestive enzymes or bile salts.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance in the blood. The body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but too much cholesterol may increase the risk of heart disease.
High cholesterol may lead to fatty deposits in blood vessels. A buildup of deposits can eventually prevent enough blood from flowing through the arteries. Deposits can also break off suddenly and form blood clots, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
When the cholesterol and fat in the blood continue to accumulate, the blood will become fatty, the blood viscosity will increase, and the blood fluidity will become poor. This can be harmful to the body, especially as blood tries to travel through tiny arteries to places like the eyes, kidneys, toes and brain.
In addition, when there is too much fat in the blood, plaques are more likely to form on the walls of the arteries, causing the arteries to become clogged and blood unable to pass through. When blood can't reach the organs that need it, those organs die from starvation of oxygen and nutrients.
