Cholesterol is a widely discussed nutrient because of its association with a number of serious medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and strokes. However, is it a common misconception that cholesterol comes only from the foods you eat, and that it is inherently bad for your health. Cholesterol is integral in many of your bodily functions, and although taking in excessive amounts is not advisable, your body does need a small amount of cholesterol to work optimally.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is produced in your body as a steroid metabolite and is also found as a fatty substance in foods such as meat, cheese and eggs. Cholesterol has recently, and unfortunately mistakenly, been branded as a dangerous substance whose intake should be avoided for fear of developing vascular disease. Although an excess of cholesterol in the blood has indeed been linked with cardiovascular problems, cholesterol is used for a diverse range of essential functions in your body, including the building of cellular components, nerve transmission, digestion and hormone production.
Cholesterol and Cell Membranes
The molecules that make up your cell membranes, called phospholipids, are thought to be highly mobile because of their molecular structure. Cholesterol sits between these molecules, stabilizing the membrane, and preventing substances from moving freely across it into the cell. Without cholesterol, you would need a cell wall, like a bacterium, as well as a cell membrane, in order to maintain the integrity of your cellular barrier, according to Cytochemistry.net.
Cholesterol and Digestion
Cholesterol is also crucial to fully digest the fats that you consume and to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A,D, E and K. It is used to synthesize bile in the liver, which is stored in the gall bladder before being released into the small intestine during digestion. Bile is responsible for increasing the surface area of the insoluble fats, a process known as emulsification, so that digestive enzymes such as lipases can break down the fats for absorption into the bloodstream. Although small enough to be absorbed without being broken down, fat-soluble vitamins require a fatty medium, such as bile, in order to enter the bloodstream in the intestines, explain experts at Colorado State University.
Cholesterol and Hormone Production
Cholesterol is also a precursor in the synthesis of several important hormones. Neither the male sex hormone testosterone, or the female sex hormones progesterone and estrogen, could be produced without cholesterol. Similarly, aldosterone, a hormone involved in body fluid regulation, and cortisol, the stress hormone, require cholesterol as a precursor molecule. Vitamin D, a vitamin which is produced in the body in response to sunlight and is important for the production of bones in your body, is also synthesized from cholesterol. For this reason, people who have a very low intake of cholesterol-containing foods, such as anorexia nervosa sufferers, often cannot develop sexually because they lack the raw materials to produce sufficient amounts of sex hormone, according to the 3dChem website.
Excess Cholesterol
Cholesterol is also used in the manifestation of some dangerous vascular conditions, such as plaque formation and atherosclerosis. This occurs when your artery is repeatedly damaged. Cholesterol is deposited in your artery walls along with white blood cells, which are attracted to the damaged site. As more and more cholesterol is deposited, the plaque can grow until your artery becomes obstructed. This can therefore lead to the narrowing of the blood vessels, clot formation, thrombosis and strokes. If you are worried about your cholesterol levels, consult your physician (Ref 4).
