1. The Pennington Biomedical Research
Promoting Healthier Lives Through
Center is a world-renowned nutrition Research and Education in Nutrition
research center. and Preventive Medicine
Mission:
To promote healthier lives through Facts about
research and education in nutrition and
preventive medicine. Cholesterol
The Pennington Center has several
research areas, including:
Clinical Obesity Research
Experimental Obesity
Functional Foods
Health and Performance Enhance-
ment
Nutrition and Chronic Diseases
Nutrition and the Brain
Dementia, Alzheimer’s and healthy
aging
PENNINGTON BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER
Diet, exercise, weight loss and
weight loss maintenance
6400 Perkins Road
The research fostered in these areas can
have a profound impact on healthy Baton Rouge, LA 70808
living and on the prevention of common 225-763-2500
chronic diseases, such as heart disease,
cancer, diabetes, hypertension and oste-
oporosis. Visit Our Website at :
www.pbrc.edu
The Division of Education provides
education and information to the scien-
tific community and the public about Cholesterol in the bloodstream
research findings, training programs PNS Briefs No 55a 2009
and research areas, and coordinates
educational events for the public on
Authors
various health issues. Pennington Biomedical Research
Heli J. Roy, PhD, RD
We invite people of all ages and back-
Beth Kalicki
Center
grounds to participate in the exciting
research studies being conducted at the
Division of Education
Pennington Center in Baton Rouge,
Louisiana. If you would like to take part, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
visit the clinical trials web page at 10/09
www.pbrc.edu or call (225) 763-3000.

2. THE FACTS ABOUT CHOLESTEROL Substituting soy protein for animal protein has
been shown to lower your LDL cholesterol levels,
LDL levels in the blood are controlled by
this reducing your risk for heart disease.
the liver and the intestines.
Estrogen, a female hormone, tends to raise HDL
The liver makes cholesterol, which is used
cholesterol levels. It removes the buildup of
to make bile acids. The liver also assists in
plaque within the arteries. This property of
the removal of cholesterol from the blood.
estrogen tends to protect premenopausal women
from having high levels of LDL cholesterol.
The source of cholesterol in the body is
from intestinal absorption of cholesterol
Postmenopausal women with high LDL levels,
either from the diet or from bile.
may benefit from drug therapy. It should be
combined with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables,
A diet rich in fiber, particularly soluble
whole grains, high fiber foods, and low fat dairy
fiber, has been shown to reduce your blood
products.
The Types of cholesterol levels.
Over 43% of hospital patients treated for
When selecting foods to decrease
Cholesterol cholesterol level, choose foods that are high
coronary heart disease are under the age of 65.
in fiber, low in saturated fat, cholesterol
There are several types of cholesterol
molecules but two are important for and trans fatty acids.
health: According to the United States Center for
For optimal health, HDL cholesterol levels
Disease Control and the American Heart
HDL—High density lipoproteins, or good should be greater than 40 mg/dL.
cholesterol, attempts to remove fatty Association, approximately 66 million
deposits of plaque within your arteries. American adults have a “Borderline” blood
It is recommended that individuals with
cholesterol level of 200—239 mg/dL; and
LDL—Low density lipoproteins, or bad high LDL blood cholesterol levels or those
cholesterol, tends to leave fatty deposits that 37.7 million have “High” cholesterol levels
who are on cholesterol medication, should
accumulate in your bloodstream and builds of 240 mg/dL or greater. This places
eat less than 200 mg of cholesterol daily.
up on arterial walls. Eventually this buildup them at an increased risk of having a heart
can narrow your arteries and cause a blood LDL cholesterol levels should remain close attack or a stroke.
clot to form, which may lead to a heart
to 100mg/dL or less.
attack or stroke.
How to remember—keep HDL high and keep The higher your LDL level is, the greater
LDL low. your chance of getting heart disease.
Standard Guideline for Total
Ways to lower LDL levels and raise HDL
Cholesterol Levels:
levels include: exercising regularly,
Desirable level: Less than 200 mg/dL
maintain a healthy weight and BMI,
Borderline: Between 200 and 239 mg/dL avoiding smoking, and increasing the
High: 240 mg/dL and above amount of monounsaturated fats in your
diet.