Clinical lipid profile refers to total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein.

There are two ways in which lipids come from within the body, endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous lipids are lipid components synthesized in the body's liver, fat, and other tissue cells; exogenous lipids are lipid components ingested from food. Specifically, endogenous lipids are a class of serum lipids that are secreted and synthesized through the body itself.

Endogenous lipids first pass through the liver, fat cells, and combined with the cells and released into the bloodstream, then can become a source of energy to supply the body's metabolism and vital activities. In contrast to endogenous lipids, lipids from the outside world that cannot be synthesized directly by the body are called exogenous lipids, and most of these lipids are absorbed by the body from the food it ingests. After digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, lipids enter the bloodstream and become blood lipids.