Cholesterol Is Crucial

PART 1

Cholesterol: A Good Guy After All

It has a bad reputation, but cholesterol is really a good guy. You don’t have to worry about getting enough cholesterol in the foods you eat, though—your body makes all the cholesterol you need.

The human body contains about 100-150 g of cholesterol, and most of it is incorporated into cell membranes. Cholesterol holds your cell membranes together like a sort of mortar. It’s especially important for neurons (cells of the nervous system) and is a vital component of the myelin sheath that insulates nerve cells. It’s also an essential ingredient in adrenal and sex hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.

Cholesterol is also necessary for the production of bile acids in the liver. Bile contains a number of ingredients, including water, cholesterol, and bile acids. Bile is secreted into the intestine, where it aids in the absorption of fats from the foods being digested.