The Truth About CHOLESTEROL

News flash: It's a substance your body can't live without. Read on for more surprising facts that will help you keep your heart healthy and strong.

- BY MERYL DAVIDS LANDAU

If your doctor has said your cholesterol is too high, join the club: About a third of American adults and 7% of kids have levels that are higher than ideal. And if social media influencers saying there's no need to lower your cholesterol have created a tug-of-war in your head, you've got a lot of company. Here, experts offer the research-backed info you need to know to keep your cholesterol in check.

TRUE OR FALSE?

Cholesterol is super important for the brain and the body.

TRUE

The adult body has some 30 trillion cells, and every one needs cholesterol to maintain its shape and function. The body naturally produces this waxy substance and uses it to manufacture important hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol also assists cells in our brains.

The substance is so necessary that even calling LDL "bad" cholesterol is a misnomer, says Stephen Kopecky, M.D., a preventive cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and the author of Live Younger Longer. All forms of cholesterol are important for your cells, so "if you didn't have LDL, you'd be dead," he says.

TRUE OR FALSE?

The dangers of high blood cholesterol are overblown.

FALSE