They say some type of cholesterol is good for you and some other type is really bad, even deadly. So, just what is cholestrol ?
When isolated or extracted in a laboratory, cholesterol is a whitish and somewhat waxy substance. It is found in in cell membranes, actually one needs some to build cell membranes. It is either synthesized by the liver and the cells that line the intestinal tract or to a smaller extent ingested through the diet. We need some, but this amount is minimal. Preferably it should the HDL type. (memory tip: HDL for Highly Desirable )
Cholesterol is a steroid type of molecule with an alcohol group on it. Hence the ster - ol part of its name. It does not dissolve in water or in blood, which is mostly water. To move around or dissolve it needs to be bound to a carrier, a vehicle or cart. This vehicle is always a type of protein with a lipid fraction called a lipoprotein. There are a few possible carrying molecules, they differ in density. So according to the density of the carrying vehicle ( lipoprotein ), we talk of either:
Depending on the genetic predispositions of your liver and intestinal tract, you may synthesize more of the good HDL-C than average and live to be very old. On the other hand, if you synthesize more of the bad LDL-C than average, you may want to do something about it since high levels of it and longevity do not go hand in hand. Low density lipoproteins are not a very stable carrier and tend to "spill their loads all over the place". Such cholesterol spills are not a good idea around one's artery walls. They are responsible for coronary artery disease ( CAD and and heart attacks ) and peripheral artery disease ( PAD ).
How ?
The problem starts with the arterial lining. The arteries, like those that supply the oxygenated blood to the heart muscle, the coronary arteries, are lined with a very thin and fragile layer of cells called the endothelium. Some offensive agents can cause lesions and inflammation of the arterial lining. Let us assume that a person has smoked 25 cigarettes today and had four hot dogs and a large order of fries. Later in the day, that person will have high levels of oxydized LDL-C and will also have coronary arteries that exhibit microscopic lesions. The spilled cholesterol can now enter those lesions and insert itself under the endothelial lining of the arteries...and it does. At that point the cells of the immune system are called in to fix up the mess. They in turn penetrate under the endothelium and gobble all the offending cholesterol they can gobble. By now these macrophage cells have become too large to exit from under the endothelial cells. They get trapped and die there, creating a build-up mess containing cholesterol, other fatty substances, calcium and debris. This mess is called arterial plaque, it causes the walls of the artrey to harden or sclerose. Hence the term atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. It also causes the available passageway ( the lumen) of the arteries to diminish, this is called stenosis.
Under some circumstances, the fibrous cap covering the plaque will rupture. In an attempt to repair the injury, a blood clot will form... obstructing the blood supply in the stenotic artery of the heart. This is a heart attack, or infarct. The final outcome often depends on how fast the person is rushed to the emergency ward. All of this on account of LDL-C entering the micro lesions in the endothelium.
The conclusion is that a lower level of LDL-C is desirable.
What about High Density Cholesterol or HDL-C (the good cholesterol) ?
Higher density lipoproteins are much better carriers of cholesterol. In fact, many recent studies point to the fact that they may be responsible for what is called "Reverse Cholesterol Transport", implying they may be capable, to a limited extent, of removing cholesterol deposits and carrying it back to the liver for elimination. A January article will be covering HDL-C, its protective virtues and its potential therapeutic role in the next generation arsenal against arterial disease of the heart (CHD/CAD).
There are a lot of so-called "supplements" to, supposedly, help you lower cholesterol faster than is possible. Some of those products do not work at all. Always do your own survey of the substance. When in doubt, visit the sites of : The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, The U.S. Health Department or the equivalent U.K. or Canada Health Departments, use the links provided in the e-library.
When isolated or extracted in a laboratory, cholesterol is a whitish and somewhat waxy substance. It is found in in cell membranes, actually one needs some to build cell membranes. It is either synthesized by the liver and the cells that line the intestinal tract or to a smaller extent ingested through the diet. We need some, but this amount is minimal. Preferably it should the HDL type. (memory tip: HDL for Highly Desirable )
Cholesterol is a steroid type of molecule with an alcohol group on it. Hence the ster - ol part of its name. It does not dissolve in water or in blood, which is mostly water. To move around or dissolve it needs to be bound to a carrier, a vehicle or cart. This vehicle is always a type of protein with a lipid fraction called a lipoprotein. There are a few possible carrying molecules, they differ in density. So according to the density of the carrying vehicle ( lipoprotein ), we talk of either:
- High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol or HDL-C
- Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol or LDL-C
- Very low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol or VLDL-C
Depending on the genetic predispositions of your liver and intestinal tract, you may synthesize more of the good HDL-C than average and live to be very old. On the other hand, if you synthesize more of the bad LDL-C than average, you may want to do something about it since high levels of it and longevity do not go hand in hand. Low density lipoproteins are not a very stable carrier and tend to "spill their loads all over the place". Such cholesterol spills are not a good idea around one's artery walls. They are responsible for coronary artery disease ( CAD and and heart attacks ) and peripheral artery disease ( PAD ).
How ?
The problem starts with the arterial lining. The arteries, like those that supply the oxygenated blood to the heart muscle, the coronary arteries, are lined with a very thin and fragile layer of cells called the endothelium. Some offensive agents can cause lesions and inflammation of the arterial lining. Let us assume that a person has smoked 25 cigarettes today and had four hot dogs and a large order of fries. Later in the day, that person will have high levels of oxydized LDL-C and will also have coronary arteries that exhibit microscopic lesions. The spilled cholesterol can now enter those lesions and insert itself under the endothelial lining of the arteries...and it does. At that point the cells of the immune system are called in to fix up the mess. They in turn penetrate under the endothelium and gobble all the offending cholesterol they can gobble. By now these macrophage cells have become too large to exit from under the endothelial cells. They get trapped and die there, creating a build-up mess containing cholesterol, other fatty substances, calcium and debris. This mess is called arterial plaque, it causes the walls of the artrey to harden or sclerose. Hence the term atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. It also causes the available passageway ( the lumen) of the arteries to diminish, this is called stenosis.
Under some circumstances, the fibrous cap covering the plaque will rupture. In an attempt to repair the injury, a blood clot will form... obstructing the blood supply in the stenotic artery of the heart. This is a heart attack, or infarct. The final outcome often depends on how fast the person is rushed to the emergency ward. All of this on account of LDL-C entering the micro lesions in the endothelium.
The conclusion is that a lower level of LDL-C is desirable.
What about High Density Cholesterol or HDL-C (the good cholesterol) ?
Higher density lipoproteins are much better carriers of cholesterol. In fact, many recent studies point to the fact that they may be responsible for what is called "Reverse Cholesterol Transport", implying they may be capable, to a limited extent, of removing cholesterol deposits and carrying it back to the liver for elimination. A January article will be covering HDL-C, its protective virtues and its potential therapeutic role in the next generation arsenal against arterial disease of the heart (CHD/CAD).
There are a lot of so-called "supplements" to, supposedly, help you lower cholesterol faster than is possible. Some of those products do not work at all. Always do your own survey of the substance. When in doubt, visit the sites of : The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, The U.S. Health Department or the equivalent U.K. or Canada Health Departments, use the links provided in the e-library.
The different types of cholesterol and their effects on your arteries - Part I
Reference
See also : The Bayer College of medicine / Lipidsonline Use the e-Libray Link
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