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| Importance of Cholesterol
Importance of Cholesterol
by Lysis
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Overview
Cholesterol is a lipid, waxy substance that is used in many parts of your body and synthesized in the liver. Although the fight to keep cholesterol levels down is especially important for cardiovascular patients, cholesterol is also needed in the body for the fluidity of cell membranes, hormone production, and the formation of vitamin D. High cholesterol levels lead to cardiovascular disease, but extremely low levels can interrupt important reactions and functionality in the body.
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Cell Membrane
Cholesterol plays a major role in the fluidity and structure of your cell's membrane. Without cholesterol, the cell would not have the rigidity to give it shape. Bacteria, for instance, have no cholesterol in their outer membrane. However, these organisms have a cell wall to keep their shape. The cholesterol molecule in human cells is inserted snugly next to the phospholipid. It immobilizes the phospholipid, keeping its rigidity in place and making it less permeable to water molecules.
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Nerves
Cholesterol plays an important part in the impulses that are sent from the brain and throughout the nervous system. Nerve cells are wrapped in layers called a myelin sheath. This sheath helps facilitate the strength of the signal sent from the brain, and part of its chemical structure is cholesterol. Abnormalities in cholesterol transport and metabolism are linked with diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.
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Bile
Bile is also made from the cholesterol in the diet, and it's an important digestive secretion made in the liver. The liver excretes bile, which is held in the gall bladder. When you consume fatty foods, the gall bladder releases bile which forms micelles around the lipids. Bile helps the body's digestive enzymes break down lipids into smaller components for absorption in the small intestines. Without cholesterol, the body would have difficulty digesting fats.
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Hormones
Cholesterol is the starting compound for both male and female sex hormones. It's used in the synthesis of progestogens, estrogens, and androgens. The production of progesterone and estrogen control normal ovulation and menstrual cycles in females, and testosterone is produced from the adrenal glands in men and women. Testosterone is produced at higher levels in men, which gives them the secondary characteristics like facial hair, body hair, and a deeper voice.
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Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that promotes the development of strong bones. However, unknown to most people, vitamin D is formed from cholesterol and the sun. When you go out into the sunlight, the ultraviolet rays turn 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D after passing through the kidneys and liver. Once converted, it's used to regulate calcium and prevents the development of rickets, a disease of weak, malleable bones.
