Cholesterol Is Powerfully Anti-Inflammatory & Prevents Free Radical Activity

Despite the mis-information and misunderstandings that are present regarding cholesterol, the reality is that every cell of your body is comprised of cholesterol. And what is it doing there? Does cholesterol exist in your cells so that it can kill you?

Far from it. In fact cholesterol is a primary constituent that provides cell membranes with their integrity. Without adequate cholesterol, your cells will literally leak, falling apart in the bloodstream.

Another critical function of cholesterol is to serve as an anti-inflammatory, preventing the formation of pro-inflammatory lipids, which when left unregulated generate high amounts of free radical. If unbound, arachadonic acid (AA), one of the omega 6 fats, can convert into pro-inflammatory lipids such as thromboxane and leukotriene. Adequate cholesterol can prevent this from happening.

Thromboxanes are members of the eicosanoids (signalling molecules which are the result of oxidation). Thromboxanes are vasoconstrictors, causing platelet aggregation as well as agglutination (clumping) of red blood cells.

Leukotrienes and prostaglandins are also fatty acid signalling molecules that are strongly involved in inflammatory responses. Each of these 3 pro-inflammatory fatty acids are inhibited by adequate cholesterol.

LDL (low density lipo-protein) is the “carrier” of cholesterol, sending out cholesterol to various parts of the body where needed. HDL (high density lipo protein) takes cholesterol back to the liver. Calling LDL “bad” and HDL “good” is horribly incorrect.

If there is “high” LDL, this indicates that there is a greater need for cholesterol in the tissues of the body. Calling high LDL “bad” does nothing to address what is really happening. Why IS LDL elevated? In such a case, there are most likely pro-inflammatory conditions taking place in the body, which require additional cholesterol to halt excessive inflammation in the body.

In essence, cholesterol is doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing, protecting you from harmful free radicals and cellular death. But the real question is:“Why is there inflammation in the tissues?

Most clinicians don’t want to go there because frankly this question is outside of their field of understanding and expertise. When you start asking about the causes of inflammation, you start addressing causation; toxins and heavy metals, chemicals, the damage induced by alcohol, drugs and smoking, food intolerances, junk diet, and on and on.