Information On Cholesterol
Author: Elizabeth McNally

Cholesterol is a word associated with bad health, but
cholesterol is actually a natural substance, necessary for our
body's healthy functioning, and cholesterol, like most
everything else in our lives, is harmful only in excess.

And how is it, then, that the very name, cholesterol, has
acquired such bad connotations? Why is that we are always
cautioned to 'have our cholesterol level checked' and to 'know
our cholesterol number'? To understand this more fully, it is
important to know exactly what cholesterol is, what it does,
and where it comes from.

Cholesterol is necessary for our bodies. Our bodies must have
it to maintain good health, and without cholesterol, it would
be impossible for our bodies to function.  Not all of the
functions of cholesterol are known, but some of them are:

To make cell membranes, giving them stability and durability,
particularly in our nerve tissue, brain, and spinal cord.

To make bile, where it aids in the absorption and
transportation of fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, which we
must have for our health.

To manufacture certain hormones.

The principal source of cholesterol is from our own bodies. It
is made primarily by the liver, and it is sent through the
bloodstream to where it is needed by way of special carriers
called lipoprotiens.

Another source of cholesterol is from our diets. Certain foods,
such as meat, eggs and whole-fat dairy products all contain
cholesterol. There are other foods we eat, such as foods high
in saturated fats and transfats, that cause our livers to make
more cholesterol.

Cholesterol, like other fats, will not dissolve in liquid, and
therefore, it must be carried through the bloodstream, by way
of special carriers called lipoprotiens, to where the
cholesterol is needed. If more cholesterol is circulating in
the bloodstream than is needed for our bodies, it can work with
other elements in the blood in the formation of plaque along
artery walls.

Although cholesterol is a complex substance made up of many
subcomponents, the main subcomponents as they are understood at
this time, are LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol, HDL, or 'good'
cholesterol, and triglycerides.

LDL cholesterol is referred to as the 'bad' cholesterol,
because it is one of the main components in arterial plaque.
HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, helps to reduce plaque by
returning excess LDL to the liver and aiding in its excretion.
Triglyceride levels correspond to LDL levels.


About The Author: Elizabeth McNally has been a healthcare
professional for the past 30 years. For more information please
visit http://www.cholesterolinfo.net