How Does Cholesterol Affects The Body

According to the American Heart Association (2014), cholesterol, is a soft waxy substance found in your bloodstream and all of your cells. It is a steroid which is made mostly in the liver. The body internally makes approximately 85% of the body's total cholesterol while only 15% comes from diet.(Saladin 66) However, what is interesting to note is while some dietary" food products are advertised as "cholesterol free" they may be high in saturated fats".(Saladin 66). This will cause the body to be stimulated to internally produce more cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed by the body in many ways. It is used to synthesize other steroids in the body such as progesterone, testosterone, estrogens, and cortisol. It also synthesizes bile salts used to digest fat. Cholesterol also helps to build cell wall membranes and make vitamin D. …show more content…
In the blood, cholesterols are parts of a molecular chain called Lipoproteins. These lipoproteins are found as droplets. Lipoproteins transport cholesterol throughout the body. Lipoproteins consists of cholesterols, lipids, phospholipids, and proteins. When one talks about "good cholesterol" verses "bad cholesterol", what one is actually talking about are one of two lipoprotein chains. A lipoprotein chain that has a high amount of proteins as compared to a lower amount of lipids is called a High Density Lipoprotein (HDL). Lipoprotein chains that have a higher amount of lipids as compared to a lower amount of proteins is called a Low Density Lipoprotein