Cholesterol - What You Should Know About It

Cholesterol is a polycyclic long chain alcohol, usually considered a steroid found in cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of cell membranes of mammals. Cholesterol is the major sterol synthesized by animals, but small amounts are also synthesized by other eukaryotes such as plants and fungi.

There is no cholesterol in any product of plant origin. Plants have a similar product called estigmaesterol, which is not absorbed by human body.

The majority of cholesterol in the body is synthesized by the body itself, being only a small part acquired by diet. Therefore, unlike as was thought previously, the level of blood cholesterol does not increase if you increase the amount of cholesterol in the diet. Cholesterol is more abundant in tissues which either synthesize more or have densely-packed membranes in larger numbers, such as the liver, spinal cord, brain and atheromatous plaques (arterial). Cholesterol plays a central role in many biochemical processes, but is best known for the association between cardiovascular diseases and the various lipoprotein cholesterol transport patterns and high levels of blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia).

Cholesterol is insoluble in water and therefore insoluble in blood. To be transported through the bloodstream it binds to several types of lipoprotein, spherical particles which have an exterior composed mainly of soluble proteins. There are several types of lipoproteins, and they are classified according to their density. The two major lipoproteins used for diagnosis of cholesterol levels are:

* Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or Low Density Lipoproteins) are believed to be the class malevolent to humans, being able to transport cholesterol from the liver to the cells of several other tissues. In recent years, the term (somewhat imprecisely) as "bad cholesterol" or "bad cholesterol" has been used to refer to LDL, in accordance with the hypothesis of Rudolf Virchow, believed to have harmful actions (formation of atherosclerotic plaques blood vessels).

* High-density lipoprotein (High Density Lipoproteins or HDL) is believed to be capable of absorbing the cholesterol crystals that begin to be deposited in the arterial walls / veins (slowing the atherosclerotic process.) It has been used the term "good cholesterol" to refer to the HDL, are believed to have beneficial actions.

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