Cholesterol Cholesterol is a waxy lipid or fat that is found only in animal derived products. Cholesterol serves several important functions in the body, and is also made by the body. The main function of cholesterol is to be the precursor for a group of hormones called sterols, which include estrogen and testosterone. An excess of cholesterol is not beneficial for the body, and it can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure.
Some people are prone to high cholesterol because their body produces the compound in excess.
Dictionary Definition A glistening white, soapy crystalline substance, C27 H45 OH, the most common animal sterol, a precursor of a form of vitamin D and a universal tissue constituent, occurring notably in bile, gallstones, the brain, blood cells, plasma, egg yolk and seeds.