Cholesterol discovery Cholesterol Discovery Doctors have made yet another breakthrough in the battle against high cholesterol and heart disease. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered a molecule that helps maintain the balance of cholesterol and bile acids in the body.
Bile acids work in the body to get rid of excess cholesterol.
Understanding how this molecule works may lead to the development of drugs that increase bile acids to help control cholesterol. Proper metabolism of cholesterol is important because when cholesterol builds up, it causes plaques to form in arteries. Blockages in the arteries that supply blood to the heart can lead to heart damage and heart attacks. Blockages in the arteries that supply the brain with blood can cause stroke. By regulating the amount and activity of bile acids, doctors could speed up the destruction of cholesterol so it doesn't build up in the body.