hormonal and metabolic disorders
Overview of Cholesterol and Lipid Disorders
Introduction
The body needs fats (lipids) for growth and energy. It also uses them to synthesize hormones and other substances needed for the body’s activities. The body may deposit excess fat in blood vessels and within organs, where it can block blood flow and damage organs, often causing serious disorders. Important lipids found in the blood are Cholesterol Triglycerides Cholesterolis an essential component of cell membranes, of brain and nerve cells, and of bile, which helps the body absorb fats and fat-soluble vitamins. The body uses cholesterol to makevitamin Dand various hormones, such asestrogen,testosterone, andcortisol. The body can produce all the cholesterol that it needs, but it also obtains cholesterol from food. which are contained in fat cells, can be broken down, then used to provide energy for the body’s metabolic processes, including growth. Triglycerides are produced in the intestine and liver from smaller fats called Fats . Some types of fatty acids are made by the body, but others must be obtained from food. Fats, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, cannot circulate freely in the blood, because blood is mostly water. To be able to circulate in blood, cholesterol and triglycerides are packaged with proteins and other substances to form particles called lipoproteins. There are different types oflipoproteins. Each type has a different purpose and is broken down and excreted in a slightly different way. Lipoproteins include Chylomicrons High-density lipoproteins (HDL) Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) Cholesterol transported by LDL is called LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and cholesterol transported by HDL is called HDL cholesterol (HDL-C). The body can regulate lipoprotein levels (and therefore lipid levels) by increasing or decreasing the production rate of lipoproteins. The body can also regulate how quickly lipoproteins enter and are removed from the bloodstream. Levels of cholesterol and triglycerides vary considerably from day to day, due to many factors like stress, dietary habits, exercise, lifestyle, changes in metabolism. From one measurement to the next, cholesterol levels can vary by about 10%, and triglyceride levels can vary by up to 25%. Lipid levels may be Too high ( Dyslipidemia , also called hyperlipidemia) Too low ( Hypolipidemia ) Lipid levels may become abnormal because of changes that occur with aging, various disorders (including inherited ones), use of certain medications, or lifestyle (such as consuming a diet high in saturated fat, being physically inactive, or being overweight). 