Dietary Cholesterol Restriction is Not Good for Health

  • Dr. Gopal Krushna Pal Dean, JIPMER, Karaikal, Puducherry, India.
Keywords: Nil

Abstract

Contrary to the popular belief prevailing in the last three to six decades in our healthcircle, cholesterol is actually an organic molecule essential for sustaining all animal lives. Chemically, it is a sterol which is found in the cell membrane. It acts as precursor of several vital molecules such as steroids, Vitamin D, and bile acids. In fact, it is so vital for cellular function that nature has made it available to us by endogenous synthesis mechanism in each cell in an organism.[1] Although we can acquire cholesterol from our diet, especially animal food product (such as egg and meat.), body has the capacity to produce it to meet our daily requirement. This is the scientific basis why severe restriction of daily intake of cholesterol is not effective in reducing cholesterol in blood, and hence, daily intake does not correlate with blood level of cholesterol.[1] On the other hand, severe dietary restriction can promote the endogenous production of cholesterol.

Published
2017-07-31
How to Cite
Gopal Krushna Pal, D. (2017). Dietary Cholesterol Restriction is Not Good for Health. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Physiology, 4(3), 109-110. Retrieved from https://ijcep.org/index.php/ijcep/article/view/180