News tagged with cholesterol
Taking stairs, raking leaves may equal a trip to the gym, study finds
New research at Oregon State University suggests the health benefits of small amounts of activity – even as small as one- and two-minute increments that add up to 30 minutes per day – can be just as beneficial ...
Health
Jan 29, 2013 |
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International study points to inflammation as a cause of plaque buildup in heart vessels
Fifteen new genetic regions associated with coronary artery disease have been identified by a large, international consortium of scientists—including researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine—taking a ...
Genetics
Dec 02, 2012 |
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ENCODE project: Researchers catalogue functional elements of the genome
Most of the DNA alterations that are tied to disease do not alter protein-coding genes, but rather the "switches" that control them. Characterizing these switches is one of many goals of the ENCODE project ...
Genetics
Sep 05, 2012 |
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Researchers ID chemical in cigarette smoke linked to lowered levels of 'good' cholesterol
(Medical Xpress)—Cigarette smoking's association with heart disease has been known for decades, but researchers are still not certain what chemicals or molecular processes in the body form the basis of that link. Now University ...
Medical research
Aug 31, 2012 |
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Low-calorie diet may not prolong life: study (Update)
Scientists have found that calorie restriction—a diet comprised of approximately 30 percent fewer calories but with the same nutrients of a standard diet—does not extend years of life or reduce age-related deaths in a ...
Medical research
Aug 29, 2012 |
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Free fatty acids linked to cardiac risk in late adulthood
(HealthDay)—Blood levels of free fatty acids are associated with insulin resistance during young adulthood and cardiovascular risk factors in later adulthood, according to a study published online May 13 ...
Cardiology
May 17, 2013 |
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New mechanism to prevent type 2 diabetes in obese individuals
A new Montréal study conducted by Dr. May Faraj, associate research professor at the Université de Montréal and invited scientist at the IRCM, along with her research team and medical collaborators, shows ...
Medical research
May 17, 2013 |
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Stroke patients respond similarly to after-stroke care, despite age difference
Age has little to do with how patients should be treated after suffering a stroke, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Cardiology
May 17, 2013 |
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Four genes indentified that influence levels of 'bad' cholesterol
Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio have identified four genes in baboons that influence levels of "bad" cholesterol. This discovery could lead to the development of new drugs to reduce the ...
Medical research
May 15, 2013 |
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The search for an early biomarker to fight atherosclerosis
The Journal of the American Heart Association published the conclusive results from a study directed by Dr. Éric Thorin of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI), which suggests for the first time that a blood protein contri ...
Cardiology
May 14, 2013 |
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Study: Fish oil's work vs. heart attacks limited
Eating fish is good for your heart, but taking fish oil capsules does not help people at high risk of heart problems who are already taking medicines to prevent them, a large study in Italy found.
Cardiology
May 08, 2013 |
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Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk
(Medical Xpress)—Consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can reduce cardiovascular risk through a mechanism other than simply lowering cholesterol, according to a team of Penn State, Tufts University ...
Health
May 08, 2013 |
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Research suggests link between elevated blood sugar, Alzheimer's risk
(Medical Xpress)—A new University of Arizona study, published in the journal Neurology, suggests a possible link between elevated blood sugar levels and risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's disease & dementia
May 06, 2013 |
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Study finds health insurance helps lower-income Americans avoid depression, diabetes, major financial shocks
Enrollment in Medicaid helps lower-income Americans overcome depression, get proper treatment for diabetes, and avoid catastrophic medical bills, but does not appear to reduce the prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure ...
Health
May 03, 2013 |
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Tart cherries linked to reduced risk of stroke
(Medical Xpress)—For the millions of Americans at risk for heart disease or diabetes, a diet that includes tart cherries might actually be better than what the doctor ordered, according to new animal research ...
Health
Apr 24, 2013 |
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Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a lipidic, waxy steroid found in the cell membranes and transported in the blood plasma of all animals. It is an essential component of mammalian cell membranes where it is required to establish proper membrane permeability and fluidity. Cholesterol is the principal sterol synthesized by animals, but small quantities are synthesized in other eukaryotes, such as plants and fungi. It is almost completely absent among prokaryotes, which include bacteria. Cholesterol is classified as a sterol.
Since cholesterol is essential for life, it is primarily synthesized de novo within the body. However excessive levels of cholesterol in blood circulation are strongly associated with progression of atherosclerosis. For an adult, typical total body cholesterol synthesis is about 1 gram per day (less if dietary intake is high) and total body cholesterol content is about 35 g. Average dietary intake in western societies is 0.2 - 0.3 grams. Cholesterol is excreted by the liver via the bile into the digestive tract. Typically about 50% of the excreted cholesterol is reabsorbed by the small bowel back into the blood stream.
The name cholesterol originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as François Poulletier de la Salle first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones, in 1769. However, it was only in 1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound "cholesterine".
For more information about Cholesterol, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
