Approximately 85 percent of the cholesterol in your body is produced by your own cells, the other 15 percent is from diet, reports the book "Anatomy and Physiology" by Kenneth Saladin. For some, the production of cholesterol may be even higher, so lifestyle changes including diet and exercise may not always work. High cholesterol can be a sign of the development of chronic disease, like atherosclerosis. Gaining control of your cholesterol is important for your health and it may take more than just dieting alone.
Contributors to High Cholesterol
Both your lifestyle as well as your age and heredity can contribute to rising levels of blood cholesterol. A diet high in saturated fats, calories and cholesterol can raise cholesterol and being sedentary and overweight can also have a negative influence on cholesterol; these are considered contributors that you can change. However, there are certain factors, like age and your genes, which can cause high cholesterol, but you cannot change.
Production of Cholesterol
Diet may not always work to lower your cholesterol because of your body's production of cholesterol. The body generally produces cholesterol on an as-needed basis. It is so vital to functioning that most cells have the ability to make cholesterol. The liver makes enough cholesterol to help sustain the needs of the other cells as well.
Mechanism
When your cells run low on cholesterol, a cellular protein stimulates the genes in your nucleus to produce cholesterol. The cell even stimulates receptors located on the outside of your cells to attract and take in blood cholesterol. The liver makes excess cholesterol and releases it into the bloodstream to help provide cholesterol to cells that need it.
Hypercholesterolemia
For some people, heredity results in excess cellular production of cholesterol. Others can suffer from a condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition in which your body is unable to remove LDL, or "bad," cholesterol from the bloodstream, resulting in high levels of LDL in the blood. Both conditions are associated with your genes, meaning that dieting will not necessarily help control your cholesterol levels. If you suffer from high cholesterol and lifestyle changes are not working for you, consult your doctor about other means of reducing your cholesterol such as medication.
References
- National Heart Lung an Blood Institute; High Blood Cholesterol;
- "Anatomy and Physiology" Saladin, Kenneth S., 2004
- Harvard Health Publications; Understanding Cholesterol: The Good, The Bad and The Necessary; Mason W. Freeman, M.D., et al.; 2005
- Medline Plus; Familial Hypercholesterolemia; David Zieve, MD, MHA; March 23, 2010
