Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in all tissues.  Every cell in your body contains cholesterol, which is needed for normal cell development and repair.

Cholesterol is used by the liver to produce bile acids, which aid in food digestion, and by the glands to produce certain hormones.

Generally your body produces all of the cholesterol it needs, but you get more from foods you eat, particularly if your diet includes foods containing saturated fats.

Too high a level of cholesterol in your blood stream is a major risk factor for developing heart disease.  Fatty deposits (plaque) can build up along the inside walls of blood vessels, a condition called atherosclerosis or hardening of arteries.  This accumulation can decrease or block the flow of blood in the coronary arteries, the vessels that serve th heart is then deprived of oxygen and nutrients.