What is cholesterol?

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This fatty substance is present normally in the bloodstream and in all your tissues and cells. It is necessary for human life and is made in the body by the liver as well as being eaten in a normal diet. In the popular imagination cholesterol is the root cause of all CAD. This is partly true, but such a view is overly simplistic. You need to understand the role of other fats in the body as well. Cholesterol is one of a large and important class of biological molecules called lipids, scientific jargon for fats. One important function of lipids is to form part of the cell wall and the compartments within the cell – much as we have walls in our houses. In this way the body can set up special entry and exit ports (doors) to control the movement of substances into and within cells. This is important when understanding how lipids move around the body and how they are used by the body.