cholesterol

Cholesterol

• Similar to ear wax

• Can be created in the liver

  • Therefore its not an essential nutrient

• It’s anti water

• Function

  • Forms membrane structure

  • Precursor to bile acids

    • Cholesterol eventually becomes a bile acid

    • Bile acids are used to emulsify fat

  • Used to make sex hormones

  • Used to make vitamin D

• Sources of cholesterol

  • We creates 1000 mg+ a day

  • From animal products

    • Organ meats

    • Eggs

    • Dairy

    • Seafood

• Cholesterol transportation

  • Chylomicron carries cholesterol to muscle or fat cell

  • Chylomicron then drops remaining TG back to the liver 

    • The liver processes fats ?

  • VLDL also carries liver made cholesterol

    • Also delivers TG to muscle/fat cells

    • VLDL → LDL

    • LDL role is to deliver cholesterol to all body cells

      • Once it is done LDL goes back to the liver∫

  • HDL

    • Picks up excess cholesterol that cells don’t need

    • Returns extra cholesterol to liver

      • The cholesterol is then recycled and made into bile

        • Bile is made from cholesterol!

  • Hypercholesterolemia

    • Ppl with excess cholesterol

    • Die early bc cholesterol build up messes with organ function

• Extra notes:

  • Cholesterol is NOT used for energy! Bc it cannot be broken down into C3 or C2 in a biochemical cycle