Understanding Cholesterol Structure: What It Means For Your Health
Not enough people are aware of just how dangerous cholesterol can be. However, it is also important to know that when you hear the word cholesterol it is not always a bad thing. After all, cholesterol is necessary for certain functions of the body. It helps with the production and regulation of hormones. Another of its most important functions is to form and maintain cell walls and structures. There is no denying that small levels are required for proper function of the human body.
However, the problem is that some people let it go too far and end up with too high cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is the leading cause of heart disease and can result in a hardening of the arteries. When there is too much cholesterol in the blood it can be potentially life threatening.
By understanding the cholesterol structure, it makes it much easier to understand and learn how to make a change in your life for the better. The biochemistry of cholesterol is vital to appreciate if you want to stay healthy and keep the cholesterol in your body at a normal level.
The 4-ring region of cholesterol, which produces steroids, with each of the rings that make up this region is made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. There is also a hydrocarbon tail that makes up part of the cholesterol structure. When cholesterol travels through the body it goes through lipoproteins. Two of the most recognized and important are LDL and HDL.
These are two forms of cholesterol in the body that are very different from each other. LDL is the bad cholesterol that you want to avoid while the HDL is the good stuff that helps your body.
Knowing the structure of this sterol makes the topic that much easier to understand and to avoid a problem with high cholesterol the best thing a person can do is eat nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables that are low in cholesterol.