According to MedLine Plus, cholesterol deposits around the eyes is a result of the condition Familial hypercholesterolemia, which is when "bad" cholesterol gets passed down through family lines. It is a genetic disease that begins at birth. Fatty skin deposits may also show up on elbows, knees, buttocks, and tendons.

HDL, or high-density lipoproteins, are the "good" cholesterol your body that help to transport excess cholesterol in the blood back to the liver to be broken down. A healthy HDL level in the blood is 60 milligrams per deciliter or higher, with a higher HDL level decreasing risk of heart disease.

Not all types of cholesterol are bad. HDL, or high density lipoprotein, is a type of cholesterol that protects the heart and removes unhealthy cholesterol, called LDL cholesterol. According to the Mayo Clinic, the higher a person's HDL cholesterol is, the lower their unhealthy cholesterol usually isl.

Triglycerides, also known as triacylglycerols, are the basic units of fat storage in the body. They provide up to 40 percent of the daily requirement of energy in people living in industrial nations.

Cholesterol blood tests are used to determine an individual’s risk of developing heart disease. Such tests typically look for the total quantity of cholesterol in your blood as well as your levels of good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol.

You probably know that testosterone is a male sex hormone and cholesterol is a substance that travels in your blood, but you may be unaware that the two compounds are chemically related and that testosterone might influence the amount and type of cholesterol your body produces.

Cholesterol tests measure the amount of cholesterol found in your blood. The most common measurements include total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol and low density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the most commonly associated with an increased risk of disease.

Pregnancy is a time in which a woman's body changes drastically--not only the outward shape as the developing baby grows, but her internal system as well. Blood volume increases and blood pressure may rise to accommodate the additional fluids. Glucose levels may rise as well.

Inositol, sometimes known colloquially as "vitamin B-8," is a beneficial nutrient that has been implicated in the treatment of some behavioral or emotional disorders. Your body can produce inositol by breaking down glucose, and does not rely on inositol in your diet.

Statins are frequently prescribed medications used to lower cholesterol. They do so by blocking enzymes necessary to produce cholesterol. Doctors may prescribe statins if your total cholesterol exceeds 240 mg/dL, or if your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, exceeds 130 mg/dL.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3 and prescribed by doctors since the 1950s, proves helpful in improving bloodstream levels of low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides.

High cholesterol causes fatty deposits to gather in the blood vessels that can lead to blockages and cause a stroke or heart attack. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, high cholesterol may be partly genetic, but primarily occurs as a result of poor diet.