The correlation between cholesterol and sphingomyelin is in the development of cell membranes, the bubble or wall of a cell. Every part of the body is made up of cells. They are the building blocks of life. Different cells hold various structures, but all are encased by a membrane. Your body requires both cholesterol and sphingomyelin to build cells. The other correlation between these two important components is both may be an indicator of developing heart disease.
Lipids
To understand more about cholesterol and sphingomyelin, you must know something about lipids. Lipids are naturally-occurring molecules that form waxy substances, like plague. Lipids also make up fat on the body. Cholesterol, a lipid, mates with proteins in the blood to create lipoproteins. Sphingomyelin is a lipid that helps build cell walls. Essentially, lipid is the family name for a specific brand of molecule; in this family, cholesterol and sphingomyelin are distant cousins.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that sits inside fat. You get cholesterol from food and your body also manufactures it via the liver. Excess cholesterol deposits in the walls of arteries. This is why doctors test your blood cholesterol level. High cholesterol indicates there may be a buildup in the arteries that can lead to a number of problems including atherosclerosis. This is the medical term for a buildup of plaque in arteries. When a pipe in your home develops sludge on the walls, there is less room for water to flow. The same is true with arteries. Cholesterol is sludge that sits on the walls and obstructs the flow of blood.
Sphingomyelin
Sphingomyelin is a lesser known lipid but just as important to the body as cholesterol. Sphingomyelin is an essential component in myelin sheaths, the membranes that surround nerve cells. The exact mechanism is unknown, however, sphingomyelin may be what allows nerve cells to accept and send electrical messages throughout the body. Niemann-Pick disease is a hereditary disorder that occurs when the body fails to properly metabolism sphingomyelin.
Correlation
In 2005, a group of doctors did a study for the Group Health Cooperative regarding plasma sphingomyelin and atherosclerosis. Dr. Jennifer Clark Nelson and colleagues found that a high level of sphingomyelin in the blood was an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. In other words, an individual with a low cholesterol reading may still be at risk if he has high levels of sphingomyelin in the blood. Up until this point, high levels of cholesterol were the main flag for heart disease. Dr. Nelson's study indicates that high levels of sphingomyelin may also point to plaque buildup in arteries.
Considerations
Testing blood cholesterol levels is still the mainstay for diagnosis of atherosclerosis. Testing levels of sphingomyelin is not established or as reliable as the cholesterol test. If you have problems with your liver or spleen, a doctor may order a test of sphingomyelin, but this test is not a standard like blood cholesterol testing. The correlation between high levels of sphingomyelin and plaque buildup is still a theory.
