Where Does a Majority of Cholesterol Come From?

Where does a majority of cholesterol come from? Cholesterol comes from two sources- it is produced naturally and it is found in food that people eat.

Cholesterol can be good and bad, and the different types of cholesterol can be produced in different ways. So, where does most of the cholesterol in your body come from?

• A majority of bad cholesterol in the body comes from the foods that we decide to eat. These foods include red meat, eggs, and milk. Reduction of these types of food in your diet can lead to the prevention of bad cholesterol building up in your arteries and prevent fatalities from heart disease.
• Good cholesterol is produced by the body in the liver and is necessary to create stomach acids to help with the digestion of food and hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. Good cholesterol is also aids in the production of Vitamin D for the skin.

Good and Bad Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that is found in the cells of all animals and human beings. Although many hear the word cholesterol and automatically think it is a bad word, there are actually good types of cholesterol as well.

The determination of good and bad cholesterol is determined by the lipoproteins that carry the cholesterol throughout the body. If the lipoproteins are high, this type of cholesterol is good. However, if the lipoproteins are low, this type of cholesterol is not good for the body.

Bad cholesterol is high in fat and this fat is deposited in the arteries throughout the body. As more and more cholesterol builds up in the arteries the blood flow is reduced and eventually cut off. This is why cholesterol is known as a silent killer because without early and repeated testing, the build-up of cholesterol can be fatal.

Many do not know they have high cholesterol until it is too late. This is why going to doctor and having your cholesterol checked is vital to your overall health. When cholesterol levels become too high within the body, you are more at risk for certain types of heart disease that can be fatal.

Ways to Prevent Bad Cholesterol Build-up

Those with high levels of bad cholesterol can take steps to reduce the negative cholesterol in their body and reverse the effects of this build-up in their arteries. Part of this is knowing where the majority of cholesterol comes from, because this knowledge can allow you to change the way you eat.

By changing what you eat, you can prevent further formation of bad cholesterol in your diet. If you are having cholesterol problems, you should be sure to avoid eating red meat, eggs, and milk in excess since these foods are where the majority of cholesterol comes from.

Although there is some controversy surrounding the effects of bad cholesterol, most agree that it is a leading cause of heart disease and measures should be taken immediately by those with high levels of bad cholesterol in order to prevent death. Tests have proven that those who have reduced their levels of high cholesterol have lowered their chance of developing heart disease.