In the human body, it is the liver that produces cholesterol. In addition to that, you can get cholesterol from consuming excessive foods that are high in fat content. Cholesterol is attached to protein and carried through the blood. Proteins and cholesterol together are called lipoprotein. The type of cholesterol is based on the kind of cholesterol that the lipoprotein carries.

Cholesterol levels are also hereditary. Genetics may keep cells from removing the Bad Cholesterol (LDL) from the blood efficiently. This causes the liver to produce more cholesterol. It tends to run in families and you could have it if an immediate family member also has high cholesterol.

Causes
Some common factors that increase the risk of high cholesterol include

• Unhealthy diet
  Consumption of saturated fat and trans fat found in foods such as animal products and commercially baked foods can raise the level of cholesterol. Also, full-fat dairy products and red meat cause high cholesterol
• Obesity
  Levels of triglycerides are high in obese people. Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and above is considered as a risk of high cholesterol.
• Smoking
  A serious cause of high cholesterol is smoking. It damages the wall of blood vessels which causes them to accumulate fatty deposits and lowers good cholesterol (HDL)
• Diabetes
  High blood sugar damages the lining of your arteries. It contributes to higher LDL cholesterol and lowers HDL cholesterol.
• Lack of adequate exercise
  Being active by exercising boosts the HDL and increases the size of particles which make up the LDL making it less harmful.
• Increased waist size
  People with increased waistline tend to be more at risk of high cholesterol than those with lower waist circumference. In men, the risk increases when the waist circumference is 40 inches and above. In women, the risk is high when the waist circumference is 35 inches and above.

Symptoms
The only way to detect high cholesterol is to have a blood test taken. High cholesterol has no symptom absolutely. When there is high cholesterol in the body, it causes Atherosclerosis, it means extra cholesterol is stored in the arteries. This is a dangerous situation as it’s the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

The accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries is called plaque. In time, when the plaque becomes hard, it causes the arteries to become narrow. Excessive deposits of plaque can sometimes even completely block the arteries. When the arteries that supply blood to the heart are affected, you may suffer angina (chest pain) and also other symptoms of coronary artery disease.

There is a danger that this plaque could split open causing blood clots which block the flow of the blood. When the arteries that go to the heart are blocked, the blood supply is low which causes a heart attack. When there is a block in the supply of blood to the brain, it could cause a stroke. Most people discover the presence of high cholesterol only after they suffer either one of these life-threatening conditions.