Cholesterol vs Triglycerides

When one of the causes of heart disease circulates in your blood, one should already worry and prepare for the worst. Heart disease is one of the primary killers in this planet. There is a high mortality rate for people who are diagnosed with heart diseases such as hypertension or high blood pressure, enlargement of the heart, and so on and so forth.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are the two main culprits in a wide array of diseases particularly heart disease. These two blood components are one of the most fatal when measured beyond the normal value. It is fatal because the signs and symptoms occur in an instant to that person. “Cholesterol” came from the Greek word “chole” meaning “bile” and “stereos” meaning “solid.” The suffix “-ol” means “alcohol.” A Frenchman first identified cholesterol in 1769 through its solidified form that can be found in gallstones. In 1815, Eugene Chevreul named it as “cholesterine.” Cholesterol is a form of fat that is produced in the liver. It can also be produced in the intestines.

Cholesterol is important because it aids in the manufacture of bile acids, vitamin D, some hormones, and a lot more. Cholesterol can be broken down into good cholesterol and bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is also known as HDL, and bad cholesterol is known as LDL. When a person has high LDL but low HDL, the person is at risk for cardiovascular illnesses that are fatal and debilitating if not treated early. Cholesterol is a fatty steroid.

Triglycerides, on the other hand, are another type of fat that circulates in the blood. It is the main component of VLDL which is responsible for the metabolism of fat for energy. Most of the triglycerides in the blood come from fats in foods. Other sources of triglycerides come from carbohydrates which were not used in the body and then stored as fats. Normal levels of triglycerides are not harmful in the body. But in excess amounts, it can be harmful in the body. High levels of triglycerides can harden our blood vessels causing them not to expand when there is high blood pressure, but, rather, to break off causing a rupture in the vessel. Triglycerides are an ester made up of three fatty acids.

The normal range of triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dl while the normal range of cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dl. Through lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, people can go a long way and be healthy.

Summary:

1.Cholesterol is a fatty steroid while triglycerides are an ester made of three fatty acids.
2.The normal level of cholesterol in the blood is less than 200 mg/dl while the normal level of triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dl.
3.Cholesterol has two types; LDL which is the bad cholesterol and HDL which is the good cholesterol. Triglycerides, on the other hand, are the main component of VLDL.
4.High levels of these two compounds are linked to increased risks of heart disease.

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