Cholesterol Is Not the Enemy

Cholesterol is essential for life.

Cholesterol provides structure, helps produce hormones, participates in digestion, and is essential to nervous-system function.

• Cell membranes: cholesterol helps regulate membrane structure and fluidity.
• Steroid hormones and sex-hormone production: cholesterol is a starting material for cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, estrogen and progesterone.
• Vitamin D: a cholesterol-related precursor in the skin participates in vitamin D production.
• Bile: cholesterol is used to make bile acids that help digest and absorb fats.
• Brain and nervous-system function: cholesterol is an important component of neuronal membranes and myelin.
• Myelin: the insulating layers around nerve fibers depend on cholesterol biology.
• Tissue repair and blood-vessel structure: membrane renewal requires cholesterol, but this does not make every elevated blood level harmless.

Why would the body manufacture something it didn't need?