Cholesterol is a type of molecule found in animal cells, and it plays fundamental roles, but very high levels (hypercholesterolemia) cause atherosclerosis or accumulation of fatty acids in the artery walls. This leads to obesity and increases the risk of suffering circulatory diseases, similar to what happens with triglycerides.
There are two types of cholesterol: high-density cholesterol (HDL) and low-density cholesterol (LDL). Although the first is often referred to as "good" and the second as "bad," the difference between the two is not really that simple.
