Have You Ever Wondered What Cholesterol Is? Find Out Now

Cholesterol atom structure

Cholesterol atom structure

We hear a lot about cholesterol. Have you ever wondered what it is or what it does? Well, here you go.

What Is Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a component of fat. Cholesterol also serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of steroid hormones, bile acid and vitamin D. [1] Your body needs cholesterol to build cells and make vitamins and other hormones and cell membranes. [2] You need cholesterol to survive.

Where It Comes From

Cholesterol comes from two things: what you eat and your liver. Your liver makes the majority of cholesterol you need. [3] Even though your liver makes all the cholesterol you need, you can eat foods with cholesterol in it. The foods with cholesterol in it comes from food from animals. When you eat food with cholesterol in it, your liver produces more cholesterol than usual. [4]

When Problems Start

While cholesterol is important, too much of it can cause problems. When you eat foods that have cholesterol in it, your liver makes more cholesterol than usual as before mentioned. For some people that can cause a problem. Especially with things dealing with the heart.

High Cholesterol

When you have high cholesterol, the cholesterol forms fatty deposits in the blood vessels. Over time, the fatty deposits grow, making the blood flow through the arteries harder. When this happens, an artery may burst and form a clot that leads to a person having a heart attack or stroke. [5]


Notes:

  1. ^Contributors to Wikimedia projects. (2021, March 25). Cholesterol – Wikipedia. Retrieved from (go back  ↩)
  2. ^Publishing. (2021, April 10). How it’s made: Cholesterol production in your body – Harvard Health. Retrieved from (go back  ↩)
  3. ^Cholesterol in the Blood. (2021, April 10). Retrieved from (go back  ↩)
  4. ^What is Cholesterol? (2021, April 10). Retrieved from (go back  ↩)
  5. ^High cholesterol – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic. (2019, July 13). Retrieved from (go back  ↩)

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