Doctors classify cholesterol as a lipid because it cannot dissolve in water. Although it differs from fat, cholesterol contains a waxy surface, which means it must bind to specialized proteins known as lipoproteins to travel through the blood -– a fluid consisting of water, red blood cells and white blood cells. Low-density lipoprotein, referred to as LDL, binds the majority of cholesterol produced in the liver, and high levels increase your risk for heart disease. A study published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology” reports that water consumption can also affect your risk for heart disease.
LDL Cholesterol Role
Although the National Cholesterol Education Program developed in November 1985 strives to educate the American public about the dangers of high cholesterol, your body does need some cholesterol to survive. Cholesterol, produced within the liver, binds to low-density lipoproteins and travels through the bloodstream to the cells throughout the body. Your cells use the cholesterol to produce hormones and provide structure to cell membranes.
Excess LDL
Too much cholesterol, due to consuming dietary cholesterol or high-fat foods, increases your level of LDL cholesterol. When you have more LDL cholesterol in your blood than your cells need, it remains in the bloodstream and can accumulate in areas of damage along the walls of the blood vessels. The buildup of cholesterol into plaque -– a substance consisting of fat, cholesterol, minerals and other blood waste products -- causes atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis causes blood vessels to become thick and hard and interferes with the flow of blood to the heart.
Role of Water
Plasma, the liquid portion of blood, consists of 90 percent water and makes up 55 percent of your blood volume. This means water plays a vital role in maintaining blood viscosity and hematocrit- – the percentage of blood consisting of red blood cells. Dehydration, a lack of water in the body, causes blood to become thicker, or more viscous, which increases the ability of LDL cholesterol to accumulate along the walls of the vessels. Water also helps the blood maintain a pH of approximately 7.4, slightly basic. A lack of water causes blood pH to drop, becoming slightly acidic which increases damage along the walls of the blood vessels and promotes the buildup of LDL.
Heart Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of December 2009, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Many factors contribute to heart disease, including high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels and overall health, which includes hydration. The study published in the “American Journal of Epidemiology” found that a high intake of water is associated with a relative heart disease risk of 0.46 in men and 0.59 in women. Decreased water consumption increases that risk to 2.47 in men and 1.46 in women.
References
- America’s Blood Centers: 56 Facts About Blood
- “American Journal of Epidemiology”; Water, Other Fluids and Fatal Coronary Heart Disease; Chan, J. et al.; 2002
- Washington University: pH Buffers in the Blood; September 2008
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease; December 2009
- Heart Lung and Blood Institute: National Cholesterol Education Program
