In today’s society, cholesterol is considered a villain.  Everyone “knows” that high cholesterol “causes” heart disease.  TV ads warn us that “diet and exercise may not be enough,” and drugs are increasingly prescribed to reduce cholesterol levels. 

You may think you know what the problem of cholesterol is all about, but before you read any further, let’s see how you did on the cholesterol quiz at the start of this article.  Here are the answers:
  1. False
  2. False
  3. True
  4. False
  5. False
  6. True
  7. True 
  8. True
  9. True
  10. False
How did you do?  If you answered all the questions correctly, maybe you don’t need to read this article.  On the other hand, if you miss a few, you may find this article very enlightening. 

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol belongs to a group of compounds called sterols.  It is, by far, the most abundant sterol in the human body.  While there is cholesterol present in some of the foods we eat, cholesterol is also manufactured in the liver.  Dietary cholesterol is called exogenous cholesterol and the cholesterol made in the body is called endogenous cholesterol.  Most of the cholesterol in the body is manufactured in the liver, but every cell is capable of making this substance.

Cholesterol has several important functions in the body.  The most important function is in the formation of cholic acid which is used to make bile salts.  Bile salts are used to emulsify and digest fat.  At least 60%, and as much as 80%, of the body’s cholesterol is used for this purpose.  The second most important use of cholesterol is in the production of adrenal and reproductive hormones.

Cholesterol is the basic building block for DHEA, pregnenalone, progesterone, testosterone, estrogen, aldosterone and cortisol. 
Another important use for cholesterol is in the skin.  Along with other lipids, it helps to make the skin water tight and impervious to various substances that might otherwise penetrate the skin.  It helps to prevent water loss from the body.  Cholesterol is also used in small amounts in all cell membranes. 

A final, but usually overlooked, function of cholesterol is to help the immune system.  Cholesterol helps bind toxins, reducing inflammation and protecting nerve and brain tissue from chemical damage. 

Obviously, cholesterol is an important substance in the body, and necessary for our health.  Although excess cholesterol in the blood isn’t good, excess cholesterol is not a cause of anything—it is a symptom that something is wrong with the body’s metabolism.  Trying to lower cholesterol without trying to correct the real causes is just another example of modern medicine’s tendency to treat symptoms without addressing the real causes.

Furthermore, because cholesterol is important to several body functions, when levels of cholesterol get too low, it can be even more dangerous than having cholesterol levels that are too high.  Read the next part of this article to find out why.