Hypercholesterolemia indicates a higher than normal cholesterol level. It is not a disease, however, but a condition caused by one or several factors, such as diet, genetics or the result of other disease states. There is a direct connection between the function of your liver, pancreas and gallbladder and the accumulation of cholesterol in your body. Each one of these organs plays a crucial role in how lipids, or fats, are digested and how the nutrients from these fats are distributed.
Function of the Liver
The liver is your filter, constantly cleaning your blood of impurities. It consists of millions of cells called hepatocytes that are responsible for several hundred different functions including the storage of nutrients, metabolizing drugs, alcohol, toxins and waste as well as numerous chemical changes.
Fats and Cholesterol
Hepatocytes are responsible for converting the fats from your diet into lipids that can be stored by your body or used as fuel. Hepatocytes also maintain your body's cholesterol levels. While you draw a small amount of cholesterol from the foods you eat, your liver manufactures most of the body's cholesterol from the saturated fats in your diet.
Bile Production
Your liver produces up to 2 pts. of bile daily, which consists of water, pigments and bile salts. This plays a crucial role in the digestion of fats or lipids and the conversion of saturated fat into cholesterol. Bile pigments are the waste products consisting primarily of bilirubin, a byproduct of red blood cells. Cholesterol is also secreted into bile. This process is vital in controlling your blood cholesterol level.
High Cholesterol
High levels of cholesterol in your blood will trigger or inhibit the production of cholesterol in the liver. However, as your blood cholesterol level falls, it again stimulates the liver to produce more cholesterol. Hepatocytes also store excess cholesterol and use it to manufacture bile salts. By consistently eating whole, fresh foods that are low in cholesterol and saturated fats, you enable your liver to maintain your cholesterol level by only producing what your body needs to maintain cell structure.
