11 Basic FactsAbout Cholesterol

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WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?

Every cell in your body contains cholesterol.

It is produced by the body but can also be

taken in from food. Being fat-soluble, it

does not mix with blood, which is water-

soluble. That's why it is carried through your

bloodstream by lipoproteins called HDL and

LDL. Cholesterol is essential for your health,

but too much of it can be harmful.

Cholesterol is essential for you

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WHERE DO I GET CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol comes fromtwo sources

Your body, particularly your liver, makes all

the cholesterol you need. This naturally

produced cholesterol accounts for

approximately two thirds of the cholesterol

circulating in your blood. The rest comes

from food, mainly from meat, eggs and full-

fat dairy products.

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT CHOLESTEROL TYPES?

Cholesterol and other fats are transported

in the body by lipoproteins. Low density

lipoprotein or LDL is considered "bad" as it

is involved in the atherosclerotic process,

which may cause plaque build-up inside

your arteries, leading to cardiovascular

disease. High density lipoprotein or HDL is

often called "good" cholesterol, because it

helps remove cholesterol from the arteries.

Cholesterol comes in two main forms

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WHAT ARE TRIGLYCERIDES?

Triglycerides are a type of fat circulating in

the blood. Triglyceride levels are often

measured together with cholesterol levels.

Elevated triglyceride levels (>1.7 mmol/l)

may increase the risk of coronary heart

disease. This applies especially to people

with a low HDL level and elevated LDL level

and to people with diabetes.

Elevated triglycerides arelinked to heart disease

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DO I NEED CHOLESTEROL?

Your body needs a small amount of

cholesterol to build cell membranes,

make hormones, produce vitamin D and

carry out other important tasks. Your

liver produces all the cholesterol you

need so you don't have to get it through

your diet.

Cholesterol is essentialfor your health

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CAN I HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL?

Elevated cholesterol affects people of all

ages and backgrounds in industrialised

countries – no matter whether you are

young or old, thin or overweight or

whether you exercise or not.

The only way to know if your cholesterol

level is elevated is to have it tested by your

doctor or other health care professional.

Every second adult haselevated cholesterol

WHO • www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/cholesterol_mean_text/en

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WHEN IS MY CHOLESTEROL TOO HIGH?

Elevated cholesterol usually has no symptoms so you will be able to follow yourcholesterol levels only by having regularcheckups. If you are generally healthy, yourrecommended total cholesterol is below 5.0 mmol/l, your LDL below 3.0 and your HDL more than 1.0. If you have other risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, the target levelsfor total and LDL cholesterol are even lower.

Recommended cholesterollevels for healthy people

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HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL?

You can't feel elevated cholesterol; it has

no signs or symptoms. The only way to

know your cholesterol levels is through a

blood test that measures the fats in your

blood. Your doctor will interpret the results

based on other risk factors, such as age,

family history, smoking and high blood

pressure, and advise you how to proceed.

Have your cholesterolchecked regularly

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WHY IS HIGH CHOLESTEROL BAD FOR ME?

When there is too much LDL cholesterol

in your blood, it may cause plaque

buildup on the walls of your arteries. This

condition, known as atherosclerosis, may

lead to a variety of health problems, such

as heart attack or stroke. Lowering your

cholesterol levels now can help you avoid

problems later on in life.

Elevated cholesterol is a riskfactor for heart disease

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IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO?

Through small changes in your lifestyle and especially in your diet, you can achievegreat results. Taking care of your cholesterollevel helps you maintain a healthy heart. Including Benecol® products as part of a healthy diet is a simple, additional step to start lowering your cholesterol level today.

The simple steps towardsa healthy heart

Benecol® products contain plant stanol ester, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.

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HOW DOES BENECOL® HELP ME?

The tasty products in the Benecol® range

contain plant stanol ester and are proven

to lower your cholesterol by 7–10% in 2–3

weeks. What’s more, the cholesterol level

remains at the lower level reached as long

as the Benecol products are used daily

with a meal.

Benecol® products lowersyour cholesterol

Benecol® products contain plant stanol ester, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.

For more information visit www.benecol.com

Thank you.