Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all the cells in your body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. However, if you have too much cholesterol in your blood it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries, which can develop into atherosclerosis and lead to cardiovascular disease.