This is an important benefit of cholesterol, for your body

The body also needs cholesterol to improve its function. Well some of us may not know what the actual task of cholesterol. Therefore, we may just consider cholesterol as the source of the disease, but it also has an important task in the body. Here are a few things done the cholesterol in our bodies. Let us see together!

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5 important tasks undertaken cholesterol to the body

Hormone production

Cholesterol is used for the production of steroid hormones, including sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone in women and testosterone in men. These hormones trigger the growth characteristics of the physical characteristics of women and men; they also play a role in reproduction.

Other steroid hormone produced from cholesterol is cortisol, which is responsible in regulating blood sugar levels and defend the body against infection and aldosterone, which is important to maintain the level of salt and water in the body.

The body also uses cholesterol to make vitamin D, a vitamin that contributes in building strong bones and teeth - when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

Improve digestive health

Cholesterol is also used to make bile, a greenish fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. The body needs bile to digest foods that contain fat. Bile itself acts as an emulsifier, which destroys fats into smaller particles so they can be well mixed with enzymes that digest fat.

After the fat is digested, bile helps the body to absorb it. The presence of bile in the intestine is needed - before the cholesterol can be absorbed from food. The body also requires bile to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K, a fat-soluble vitamin, which comes from food or supplements.

Build cell structures

Cholesterol is a component of cell structure. Together with polar lipids, cholesterol helps form the structure of every cell in the body. When the amount of cholesterol increases or decreases, the cells in our body are affected.

These changes can affect our ability to metabolize and generate energy, which in turn can affect other aspects of our bodily functions such as food intake and digestion.

Boosts the immune system

Cholesterol is very important for our immune system. Immune cells rely on cholesterol to fight infection and repair itself after the fight the virus.

When the body has to do some healing, the body will produce cholesterol and sends it to the damaged areas. When we have an infection, the level of LDL (bad cholesterol) will rise to face the bacteria or virus attack.

Antioxidants

Cholesterol also acts as an antioxidant in the body and help heal the damage caused by free radicals. Injuries contained in the body contains a lot of free radicals because the immune cells use molecules that are highly reactive to destroy microbes and toxins.

Cholesterol also has an important role in the healing process after surgery. During the operation, some networks will normally be cut, so many small arteries, veins and capillaries are damaged. At that moment, the hearts started to send LDL to cleanse and heal the wound of the blood vessels and tissues.

Here are some of the functions of cholesterol. Cholesterol is not always bad for health, but if the levels are too high, it would be very harmful for the body.