Can Cholesterol Effect Metabolism?

In order to define cholesterol metabolism we ought to explain several notions for a better understanding. The causes, effects, and possible ways to solve the problems should also be discussed. First of all, what is cholesterol? Medical dictionaries explain that cholesterol is a substance that comes from animal-based foods. This substance is processed by the liver and it is an essential building block for healthy cells and nerves while it also serves to producing some hormones. However, you should be careful about the growth of cholesterol levels, since high concentrations can lead to atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as heart attacks. Otherwise, in moderate amounts, this blood fat is necessary to the body.

Metabolism is the other concept that requires clarification for a full understanding of cholesterol metabolism. All the chemical reactions that happen in the body are known as metabolism. To get into more detail, you should be aware of the two types of metabolism that exist: anabolism builds up while catabolism breaks down. In the case of anabolism smaller molecules such as amino acids are turned into larger molecules like proteins. Obviously the reversed process takes place in catabolism, large molecules break into smaller ones, thus glycogen becomes glucose.

Cholesterol metabolism consists of the sum of the catabolic and anabolic processes involved in synthesizing and degrading the cholesterol in the system. There is a higher serum cholesterol level when the ingested quantity is higher than the body's need and ability to process. Although the liver is the cholesterol factory, the ability to synthesize cholesterol is specific to all the body tissues. The more cholesterol you consume, the less it gets synthesized by the body. The cholesterol removal from the body is done by degradation in the liver and excretion in the bile.

High cholesterol is also caused by a sum of factors that increase the risks for one's health. Thus, genetic factors, improper diet, a sedentary lifestyle, topped by weight gain become an extreme burden for cholesterol metabolism. High blood pressure, diabetes, hypothyroidism and other health problems can also be a cause for high cholesterol levels. In some cases the health problems result simply from the incapacity of the liver to process too much cholesterol. If there is a history of high cholesterol in your family, watch your health more carefully. Unfortunately it is a lot more difficult to fight against genetic predisposition by simply sticking to diets. Medication can surely help. Dieting and developing a physical training routine are also good but they are often insufficient.



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