Cholesterol is a waxy substance found only in foods that come from animals.
It is also manufactured by the body in the liver. You need small amounts of cholesterol to make and maintain nerve cells and to manufacture natural hormones. When you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream it is called hypercholesterolemia, or high cholesterol. Hypercholesterolemia increases your risk of heart disease. The most common cause of high cholesterol is eating foods that are high in saturated fat or cholesterol.