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10 Surprising Facts About Cholesterol

Like most people, you probably think of cholesterol—if you think of it at all—and picture fatty foods and heart trouble. But if you think you’ve heard everything you need to know about this waxy fat, there may be a few surprises in store.

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Heart risk and more

By Sarah Klein

Like most people, you probably think of cholesterol—if you think of it at all—and picture fatty foods and heart trouble. Yes, elevated blood cholesterol is bad news, and 34 million Americans have levels that can increase their risk of all sorts of health problems, including a heart attack.

But if you think you’ve heard everything you need to know about this waxy fat, there may be a few surprises in store. For one, cholesterol can be so high that it shows up in fatty deposits in the skin. On the other end of the spectrum, cholesterol can even be too low.

Read on to find out a few more little-known facts about cholesterol.

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