Unless you've been living in a cave for the past 25 years, you know that having high cholesterol levels increases your risk of heart attack and death. Your body uses cholesterol to manufacture steroid hormones, to form healthy cell membranes, and to make bile, which is important to clearing your body of toxins. Your body is capable of producing all the cholesterol it needs, so there's no need to eat a lot of cholesterol. In fact, excess cholesterol that isn't eliminated from your body is likely to be deposited in the walls of arteries, causing them to narrow and stiffen. This impairs the flow of blood and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to vital organs, including the heart and brain, and dramatically increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Cholesterol is transported around the body by carrier molecules called lipoproteins.
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, carries cholesterol from the liver to the tissues, where it is used for membrane or hormone synthesis or stored for later use. High levels of LDL are considered harmful because they promote the clogging of arteries with oxidized cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, transports cholesterol to the liver, where it is excreted from the body. Because HDL carries cholesterol that is destined for degradation, high levels are considered protective against heart disease. Meet This Member of the Vitamin E Family From lowering cholesterol to fighting cancer and more, vitamin E compounds called tocotrienols are beginning to make headlines.