A soft, waxy, steroid substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all our body’s cells.
The principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils.
The principal sterol in animal tissues, an essential component of cell membranes and the precursor of the steroid hormones. Not a dietary essential, since it is synthesised in the body.
A fat-soluble, waxy substance found in animal cells (fish, meat, poultry, milk and milk products, egg yolks) referred to as dietary cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed to make Vitamin D, cell membranes, some hormones and digestive juices. Blood (serum) cholesterol is found in the bloodstream and made in the human body and absorbed from food. Dietary cholesterol is required on nutrition labeling. A product with less than 2 mg cholesterol and 2 g or less saturated fat may be labeled “cholesterol free”. “Low cholesterol is 20 mg or less cholesterol per serving and 2 g or less saturated fat. “Reduced cholesterol” means at least 25% less cholesterol and 2 g or less saturated fat.
A chemical compound found in animal fats and oils; higher levels of cholesterol are often associated with high risk of atherosclerosis.
A derived fat that is essential for the body but may be detrimental in excessive amounts.
A fat-like substance that is made by the body and is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Foods high in cholesterol include liver and organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats. Cholesterol is carried in the blood. When cholesterol levels are too high, some of the cholesterol is deposited on the walls of the blood vessels. Over time, the deposits can build up causing the blood vessels to narrow and blood flow to decrease.
An essential material for creation of cell membranes, and a “building block” for certain hormones and acids used by the body. However, deposition of cholesterol on the interior walls of blood vessels results in atherosclerosis, an often fatal disease.
The most common steroid (fat-like material) found in the human body; important for membrane fluidity and as a precursor for steroid hormones; high cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of coronary diseases.
A steroid alcohol found in nervous tissue, red blood cells, animal fat, and bile. Excess can lead to gallstones.
A fatty substance that is essential to the structure of cell walls. However, when cholesterol is present in the blood in excessive quantities (usually a result of a diet too rich in animal fats), there is the risk of atherosclerosis. Cholesterol can also crystallize as gallstones in the bladder.
A fat-like substance (lipid) used especially to build cell membranes and make some hormones. It is present only in animal tissues and dairy products (such as eggs, milk, and butter). Cholesterol is made in the liver and absorbed from food in the intestines. It is transported in the blood mainly as LDL (low-density lipoprotein: the “bad” cholesterol) and HDL (high-density lipoprotein: the “good” cholesterol).
A fat-like substance found in animal fats and produced by the body.
A fatty substance found naturally in the body.
A fatty substance found in fats and oils, also produced by the liver and forming an essential part of all cells.
A fatlike substance found in all animal fats, bile, skin, blood, and brain tissue.
An important component of cell membranes, cholesterol facilitates the transportation and absorption of key fatty acids. In excess, it can be a potential health problem, clogging the main arteries that feed the heart and brain.
A four-ringed structure in the non-saponifiable lipid class that is an important substrate for steroid hormone synthesis.
As a member of a class of molecules referred to as sterols, cholesterol is a four-ringed steroidal structure with a single alcohol group. Dietary sources of cholesterol are limited to animal products; thus, nonanimal foods are cholesterol free unless they are prepared with an animal product. Foods rich in cholesterol include meats and organ meats, egg yolk, some dairy foods, and some seafood. Since the body’s cholesterol needs can be met through biosynthesis, there is no dietary requirement for cholesterol.
A fatty substance present in foods from animal sources (including meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products) but not from plant sources. The body makes sufficient cholesterol for its own needs, which include helping in the formation of vitamin D and various hormones. But excessive amounts that are ingested in some high-fat diets are carried in the bloodstream and cause a buildup of fatty tissue in the arteries (called atherosclerosis) and therefore pose a risk of heart problems. Cholesterol can also crystallize in the gall bladder to form gallstones. Not all forms of cholesterol are the same. High-density lipoproteins (HDLs)—the so-called good cholesterol-seem to help protect against arterial buildup, while low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) tend to increase the buildup. Though the effects are normally not seen until adulthood, recent studies have shown that atherosclerosis starts in childhood, so parents would be wise to watch the cholesterol content of meals for all family members.
Complex chemical present in all animal fats and widespread in the body, especially in bile, the brain, blood, adrenal glands, and nerve-fiber sheaths. It also forms deposits in blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and forms gallstones. In the body, cholesterol is involved in the synthesis of certain hormones (e.g., cortisone, estrogen) and vitamin D and in the absorption of fatty acids. Many studies indicate that excessive cholesterol levels in the blood can clog arteries and predispose to heart attacks and strokes (cardiovascular accidents). Whether the level of cholesterol can be controlled by avoiding or limiting saturated fatty acids in the diet is still in dispute. There are two kinds of cholesterol. Cholesterol attaches to lipoproteins in the blood. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) carry cholesterol that builds up plaque, so LDL-cholesterol is considered bad cholesterol. High-density lipoproteins (HDL), however, carry cholesterol to the liver, where the body can get rid of it, and are considered good cholesterol.
A component of the plasma membrane used to produce bile and steroid hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) that can accumulate and deposit abnormally, as in atherosclerosis or gallstones.
A lipid (fatty) substance found in animal tissues and body fluids, important in various metabolic processes, and implicated as a causative factor in arteriosclerosis.
A chemical that is an essential component of cells and is a building block for many hormones. Cholesterol, a sterol, is a form of lipid. A certain amount of cholesterol is required by the body. Elevated levels of this waxy, fatlike substance are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, a condition in which blood vessels are narrowed by fat deposits, which can compromise the blood flow to vital organs. Eventually, there may be sufficient blockage of an artery to cause a heart attack or stroke. Eating too much fat, especially saturated fat, can raise blood cholesterol levels.
A fatlike material (a sterol) present in the blood and most tissues, especially nervous tissue. Cholesterol and its esters are important constituents of cell membranes and are precursors of many steroid hormones and bile salts. Western dietary intake is approximately 500-800 mg/day. Cholesterol is synthesized in the body from acetate, mainly in the liver, and blood concentration is normally 150-250 mg/100 ml (3.9-6.5 mmol/1). Elevated blood concentration is often associated with atheroma, of which cholesterol is a major component. Cholesterol is also a constituent of gallstones.
A lipid that is an important constituent of body cells and is widely distributed throughout the body. It is especially abundant in the brain, nervous tissue, adrenal glands and skin. It is also found in egg yolk and gall-stones. Cholesterol plays an important role in the body, being essential for the production of the sex hormones as well as for the repair of membranes. It is also the source from which BILE acids are manufactured. The total amount in the body of a man weighing 70 kilograms (10 stones) is around 140 grams, and the amount present in the blood is 3-6—7-8 m.mol per litre (or 150-250 milligrams per 100 millilitres).
A sterol widely distributed in animal tissues and occurring in egg yolks, various oils, fats, myelin in brain, spinal cord and axons, liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands. It is synthesized in the liver and is a normal constituent of bile. It is the principal constituent of most gallstones and of atherosclerotic plaques found in arteries. It is important in metabolism, serving as a precursor to various steroid hormones (e.g., sex hormones, adrenal corticoids).
A fatlike waxy substance found in animal tissue. Although it plays a vital role as a structural component of cell membranes, too much cholesterol has been linked to coronary artery disease.
A fat-like substance that is made by the body and is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
Type of fat that forms part of all cell membranes and circulates in the blood; the starting point for the sex and stress hormones.
A sterol compound the body manufactures and uses as a component of its cell membranes and steroidal hormones.
A fat-like substance found in all animal fats, bile, blood, and brain tissue.
Cholesterol, an oily, waxen substance created by the human body and found in all animal-based products, plays a critical role in the production of hormones, aids in the digestive process, and forms the foundation of cell membranes. However, when excessive amounts of cholesterol accumulate in the bloodstream, they may deposit and solidify along the walls of blood vessels, giving rise to atherosclerosis, a condition that elevates the likelihood of cerebral strokes and cardiac arrests.
A lipid-like substance synthesized by the liver and obtained from dietary sources is known as cholesterol. Elevated levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream may amplify the susceptibility to cardiovascular disease, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy cholesterol profile.
Cholesterol, a substance resembling fat, plays a vital role as a component of body cells and participates in the production of hormones and bile salts. The liver manufactures cholesterol by processing a variety of foods, particularly those high in saturated fats, although a small portion is directly absorbed from cholesterol-rich sources like eggs and shellfish.
Both cholesterol and fats, known as triglycerides, are carried through the bloodstream in the form of lipoproteins. These lipoproteins consist of a core composed of varying ratios of cholesterol and triglycerides, enveloped by an outer layer primarily consisting of proteins.
Elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood increase the susceptibility to atherosclerosis, which refers to the accumulation of fatty deposits on the inner lining of arteries. Consequently, this raises the risk of developing coronary artery disease or experiencing a stroke, which occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is disrupted. Generally, cholesterol carried in the bloodstream as low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) or very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) poses a risk for these conditions, while cholesterol in the form of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) appears to have a protective effect against arterial disease.
Cholesterol levels in the bloodstream are influenced by factors including diet, genetic predisposition, and metabolic disorders like diabetes mellitus. These levels can be assessed through blood tests and are typically measured in millimoles per liter (mmol/L). The optimal cholesterol level is considered to be below 5.0 mmol/L. Higher levels may necessitate dietary adjustments. In some cases, medication such as simvastatin might be necessary to mitigate the risk of arterial diseases.
Cholesterol is a chemical component found in all animal fats, oils, bile, and gallstones. Excessive levels of cholesterol in the blood, often resulting from a high consumption of dairy products like butter, milk, and cheese, have been associated with certain cases of coronary thrombosis. As a result, some patients are prescribed non-cholesterol diets, substituting animal fats with vegetable fats such as corn oil and sunflower seed oil. It’s worth noting that not all medical professionals agree that elevated blood cholesterol levels lead to sufficient damage to arterial linings to cause coronary thrombosis.
A vital component of cell membranes that influences their fluidity and permeability, serving as the precursor for bile acids and steroid hormones. Primarily produced by the liver and other tissues, with a portion also absorbed from diet, it is transported in plasma by distinct lipoproteins.