cholesterol

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an organic compound belonging to the steroid lipid family. In our organism it carries out various biological, important and ESSENTIAL functions:

  • it is a component of cell membranes, of which it regulates fluidity and permeability;
  • it is the precursor of vitamin D, bile salts and steroid hormones, both male and female (testosterone, progesterone, estradiol, cortisol, etc.).

Despite this leading biological role, when cholesterol circulates in the blood in concentrations higher than normal, it turns into a bitter enemy of our health.

Like all the most tenacious adversaries, high cholesterol can be defeated only by knowing it thoroughly and using this information to develop adequate defensive and counterattack strategies. To help you in this "mission" we have grouped in the table below all the links to the articles of the site dedicated to the theme " cholesterol ".

learn about cholesterol

UNDERSTAND THE BLOOD ANALYSIS

  • General information on cholesterol
  • Cholesterol functions
  • Cholesterol absorption
  • Endogenous cholesterol
  • Cholesterol synthesis
  • Reverse cholesterol transport
  • Cholesterol metabolism
  • Triglycerides
  • VLDL LDL HDL: how many names does cholesterol have?
  • High cholesterol symptoms: how to recognize them?
  • Cholesterol values
  • Plasma lipoproteins
  • Total cholesterol
  • Total cholesterol ratio / HDL
  • LDL / HDL cholesterol ratio
  • LDL cholesterol calculation
  • Ideal LDL cholesterol calculation
  • VLDL cholesterol
  • Index of plasma atherogenicity
  • Cholesterol conversion mg / dL - mmol / L
  • Cholesterol and apolipoprotein B
  • Cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1

CHOLESTEROL AND HEALTH

FOOD, DIET AND CHOLESTEROL

  • Good cholesterol and bad cholesterol
  • Cholesterol values, when to worry?
  • Cholesterolemia and Hypercholesterolemia
  • Hyperlipidemia, what is it?
  • Familial hypercholesterolemia
  • Polygenic hypercholesterolemia
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Cholesterol in pregnancy
  • Cholesterol and menstrual cycle
  • Cholesterol and birth control pills
  • Cholesterol in menopause
  • High cholesterol in children
  • Low cholesterol
  • Cholesterol and nutrition
  • Foods with cholesterol
  • Foods without cholesterol
  • Cholesterol in foods
  • Fish and cholesterol
  • Eggs and cholesterol
  • Index of atherogenicity of foods
  • Nuts and cholesterol
  • Soy and cholesterol
  • Diet and triglycerides
  • Diet to lower cholesterol
  • Reduce cholesterol with diet
  • Example diet to lower cholesterol (man)
  • Example diet to lower cholesterol (woman)
  • The 5 best foods that lower cholesterol

LOWER THE HIGH CHOLESTEROL

DRUG AGAINST HIGH CHOLESTEROL

  • Lower cholesterol
  • Increase HDL cholesterol
  • Physical activity to lower cholesterol
  • The 5 best lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol
  • Remedies for High Cholesterol
  • Fibrates and cholesterol
  • Statins to fight cholesterol
  • High cholesterol medications
  • cholestyramine
  • Resins sequestering bile acids
  • Niacin
  • Ezetimibe
  • acipimox

SUPPLEMENTS FOR LOWERING CHOLESTEROL

QUIZ ON THE CHOLESTEROL - VERIFIES YOUR KNOWLEDGE

  • Policosanols and cholesterol
  • Lecithin to lower cholesterol
  • Plant sterols and cholesterol
  • Phytosterols: side effects
  • Fermented red rice
  • Supplements and atherosclerosis
  • Supplements for high cholesterol
  • Berberine and cholesterol
  • Reduce Cholesterol with Natural Remedies
  • High cholesterol: herbal remedies
  • High cholesterol - herbal medicine
  • Herbal teas against high cholesterol and triglycerides
  • High cholesterol, do you know what risks?
  • Know the diet against cholesterol (Basic Level)
  • Know the diet against cholesterol (Advanced Level)
  • Do you know about cholesterol-lowering supplements?

LEARN TO COOK WITHOUT CHOLESTEROL

  • Sweet recipes without eggs
  • Sweet recipes without butter
  • Vegetable cheeses without cholesterol
  • Vegetable meat without cholesterol
  • Homemade vegetable milk without cholesterol
  • Vegan recipes

Video lectures on cholesterol

Watch the video

X Watch the video on youtube

Other Videos On Cholesterol
  • Cholesterol functions
  • Cholesterol metabolism
  • Values ​​of Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk
  • Diet and cholesterol: lower it naturally
  • Phytosterols to lower cholesterol

Cholesterol derives from both nutrition and endogenous synthesis.

Foods with a high cholesterol content are those of animal origin, generally rich in saturated fats such as eggs, butter, meats, meats, cheeses and some crustaceans.

About 80-90% of total cholesterol is produced independently by our body, especially from the liver but also from the adrenal gland and the sexual glands. This explains why in some individuals, despite a balanced diet and a regular program of physical activity, cholesterol levels remain high. When endogenous production is physiologically high, as in these cases, we speak of familial hypercholesterolemia.

Whatever its origin, hypercholesterolemia is characterized by a concentration of cholesterol in the blood (cholesterolemia) higher than normal.

Blood cholesterol values

<200 mg / dl Normal cholesterolemia
200-249 mg / dl Mild hypercholesterolemia
250-299 mg / dl Moderate hypercholesterolemia
> 299 mg / dl Severe hypercholesterolemia

Cholesterol being a lipid, it is scarcely soluble in water and therefore needs to be bound to specific lipoproteins to be transported to the circulatory stream. Cholesterol mainly binds to low-density lipoproteins or LDL (the so-called bad cholesterol). In fact, it is estimated that around 60-80% of total cholesterol is linked to LDL.

The excess cholesterol bound to these lipoproteins tends to accumulate on the endothelium of the arteries, forming increasingly dense aggregates to generate real plaques, called atheromas.

These plaques lose the natural elasticity of the arteries and can cause severe damage especially to the heart (heart attack) or the brain (stroke).

The good cholesterol is instead represented by HDL (high density lipoprotein) that cleans the arteries capturing excess cholesterol and transferring it to the tissues (especially to the liver), where it is disposed of.

The higher the level of HDL in the blood, the lower the risk of developing atherosclerosis and all the other negative consequences of hypercholesterolemia.

By virtue of this characteristic, in recent years the role of HDL has been significantly re-evaluated, so that today the ratio between HDL and LDL is considered more significant, compared to the value of total cholesterol.

Generally "good" cholesterol (HDL) should not be less than 30% of total cholesterol (LDL + HDL). Another parameter, called the cardiovascular risk index, relates total cholesterol to HDL. If this ratio is greater than 5 in men and 4.5 in women, the patient is considered at risk.

Cholesterol prevention »