Cholesterol is an essential lipid in your body, but its journey through the bloodstream requires special handling. This is because fats, like cholesterol, do not mix well with liquids, creating a challenge for their movement in the watery environment of our blood.

Unlike many compounds that dissolve freely in blood, cholesterol possesses properties that render it incompatible with the blood's aqueous nature. Fats inherently repel water, and this includes the cholesterol that circulates in your system. More so, the inherent polarity and structural characteristics of cholesterol make it unsuitable for this environment.

When lipid panels report your cholesterol levels, they’re assessing the total weight of this cholesterol, regardless of its association with LDL or HDL. It's crucial to note that LDL and HDL are these protein carriers and not the cholesterol itself.

Your lipid panel is central to understanding cholesterol health metrics. When the panel lists figures such as total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL, it measures how cholesterol is contained within these protein packages. The readings you see—in terms of milligrams per deciliter—reflect not only cholesterol concentration but its transportation form.