If you're like me and have really high cholesterol, you've probably asked yourself a number of questions such as; "How do I lower it? What are the risks of high cholesterol? And what is cholesterol anyway??" Most people focus their attention on ways of lowering cholesterol without ever really knowing what cholesterol is. While you certainly don't need to know, being able to answer the question 'what is cholesterol?' may at least give you some better insights on why its important to keep it low, and how. If not, it may at least help prepare you for a spot on Jeopardy.
One way of answering the question, what is cholesterol? Is to look at it from an organic chemistry point of view, although this might appear complex to a lay person, it is really quite easily understood. Cholesterol is an aerobic chemical compound that is hydrophobic in nature. Still sounds complex doesn't it?
A better way to answer 'what is cholesterol?' is to focus on what it does. The chief purpose of cholesterol is to provide animal cell membranes with a fluid, flexible quality. Unlike plant cells, which are rigid, animal cells have to be able to bend and stretch without breaking. Animal cell membranes consist of two layers of lipids, each with a hydrophilic head and long, hydrophilic tail. The heads orient themselves towards the watery cell interior, and the watery exterior of the cell, while the tails line up in the relatively water free center. Cholesterol, which is mostly hydrophobic, thus prefers being in the center area of the membrane, and is small enough to flow through this center area freely. The flow of cholesterol molecules through the interior areas of a cell membrane provides the membrane with flexibility.
From this we conclude that the presence of cholesterol is vital to the life of an animal. Cholesterol is carried through the body on lipoprotein carriers, the most important are HDL and LDL. LDL or low-density lipoproteins are the dangerous ones. When LDL levels are high, there is a great risk of them clogging arteries.
When people ask me 'what is cholesterol?' that's usually what I tell them. I also tell them that it is an essential building block of several hormones, and is naturally produced by the liver. While our diets typically have plenty of cholesterol in them, the liver will naturally be able to meet all of our cholesterol needs without getting any from food. Therefore, you can never eat too little cholesterol. So, the next time someone asks you 'what is cholesterol?' you know what to say. - 15343
One way of answering the question, what is cholesterol? Is to look at it from an organic chemistry point of view, although this might appear complex to a lay person, it is really quite easily understood. Cholesterol is an aerobic chemical compound that is hydrophobic in nature. Still sounds complex doesn't it?
A better way to answer 'what is cholesterol?' is to focus on what it does. The chief purpose of cholesterol is to provide animal cell membranes with a fluid, flexible quality. Unlike plant cells, which are rigid, animal cells have to be able to bend and stretch without breaking. Animal cell membranes consist of two layers of lipids, each with a hydrophilic head and long, hydrophilic tail. The heads orient themselves towards the watery cell interior, and the watery exterior of the cell, while the tails line up in the relatively water free center. Cholesterol, which is mostly hydrophobic, thus prefers being in the center area of the membrane, and is small enough to flow through this center area freely. The flow of cholesterol molecules through the interior areas of a cell membrane provides the membrane with flexibility.
From this we conclude that the presence of cholesterol is vital to the life of an animal. Cholesterol is carried through the body on lipoprotein carriers, the most important are HDL and LDL. LDL or low-density lipoproteins are the dangerous ones. When LDL levels are high, there is a great risk of them clogging arteries.
When people ask me 'what is cholesterol?' that's usually what I tell them. I also tell them that it is an essential building block of several hormones, and is naturally produced by the liver. While our diets typically have plenty of cholesterol in them, the liver will naturally be able to meet all of our cholesterol needs without getting any from food. Therefore, you can never eat too little cholesterol. So, the next time someone asks you 'what is cholesterol?' you know what to say. - 15343
About the Author:
Dane Masters is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about Avoiding Heart Bypass Surgery, please visit Drink for Healthy Joints for current articles and discussions.