Cholesterol is a type of fat, or lipid, manufactured by the body in the liver.
It is also absorbed from food. You cannot do without it. You can only tell your cholesterol levels by having them measured. If the balance is unfavorable, a fasting blood sample needs to be checked for all the lipid subtypes. Cholesterol and LDL in excess of what the body uses can stick to the walls of arteries, clogging blood flow, and can eventually lead to heart attacks or strokes, among other diseases.