Cholesterol
is vital to your health. Researchers are discovering just how vital it is. As
one explained it, think of
the liver as packaging cholesterol into so-called lipoproteins, combinations of
fats and proteins that function as mass-transit systems. They transport cholesterol,
fat-soluble vitamins, and other needed substances through the bloodstream to
the cells that need them. What is so vital about cholesterol? Here are a few key functions
cholesterol provides:
- Helps
keep cell walls (membranes) working appropriately
- Assists
cells in adjusting to temperature changes
- Is
used by nerve cells for insulation (myelin)
- Helps
create substances such as vitamin D in the presence of sunlight
- Produces
bile, a fluid that helps process and digest fats
- Creates
hormones such as testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen
What role do
trans fatty acids play in raising LDL cholesterol? More tomorrow.
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