1/ TEN KEY POINTS from PART I - A JOURNEY INTO THE CONTROVERSIAL WORLD OF CHOLESTEROL.

A THREAD

2/ Cholesterol is an organic molecule that is essential for all animal life.

3/ Each cell of our body is able to synthesize cholesterol by way of a complex process which begins with HMG-CoA reductase (the target of statins.

4/ About half of this excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed back by the small intestine back into the bloodstream.

5/ The main function of lipoproteins is to transport triglycerides to cells. Cholesterol itself is a secondary passenger.

6/ In most people the cholesterol content within LDL particles is fairly proportional to the number of LDL particles.

7/ The Friedewald equation (mg/dL):

LDL-C mg/dL = Total cholesterol – (HDL-C + VLDL-C*)

*VLDL-C is calculated as Triglycerides/5

8/ The LDL particle causes plaque to develop in the artery, not the cholesterol.

9/ Those with higher heart disease risk and those with evidence of heart disease tend to have more of the particles that are smaller and denser (sdLDL)

10/ Things that have been associated with high circulating small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C) levels:

- Hypertriglyceridemia
- Increased dietary carbohydrates
- Insulin resistance
- Low HDL-C concentrations
- Obesity
- Systemic inflammation
- Metabolic syndrome
- Genetics

11/ Apolipoproteins are proteins that are associated with lipoproteins – they have four major roles

o Provide structural support
o Act as a ligand for receptors
o Guide the formation of lipoproteins
o Act as activators or inhibitors of certain enzymes

Find out more here https://www.drkohilathas.co.uk/articles/cholesterol