胆固醇与健康
胆固醇过高或过低都会造成健康风险;总胆固醇最佳值是在130mg/dL~200mg/dL之间,此时拥有最低的健康风险;低于130mg/dL就需要检查是否有重病或营养不良、也会增加出血性中风、忧郁等疾病风险,超过240mg/dL也不健康。
吃下肚的脂质进入十二指肠后,会由叫做胰脂酶的酵素部分分解,释出其中的脂肪酸,由肝脏合成成为胆固醇。
胆固醇通常能在肝脏与细胞来去,并在必须时经由肝脏转换成脂蛋白供人体使用;胆固醇不溶于水,与低密度脂蛋白及高密度脂蛋白结合,随血液运行。如果低密度脂蛋白比高密度脂蛋白多出太多,在血液中运行的胆固醇就会多于细胞所需的量,这时过剩的胆固醇会积聚在血管壁上。这个过程叫做动脉粥样硬化,会导致心脏病。但当胆固醇凝结在血管壁上将阻碍血流,严重时形成血栓,可能并发心血管疾病,如高血压、中风。
胆固醇若过低,则容易造成出血型中风、忧郁等疾病;不然就是癌症等重病造成的;不过多数健康人不用担心饮食会造成此风险,只有纯素者会有因为饮食而造成胆固醇过低的风险,饮食中只要有少量的鸡蛋、牛奶、鱼肉或其他动物性食品,大多不会造成胆固醇过低。
http://heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/WhyCholesterolMatters/Why-Cholesterol-Matters_UCM_001212_Article.jsp
What Can Cholesterol Do?
High cholesterol is one of the major controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease, heart attack andstroke. As your blood cholesterol rises, so does your risk of coronary heart disease. If you have other risk factors (such as high blood pressureor diabetes) as well as high cholesterol, this risk increases even more. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing coronary heart disease. Also, the greater the level of each risk factor, the more that factor affects your overall risk.
When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain (View an animation of cholesterol). Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, a heart attack or stroke can result.
High blood cholesterol: As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease. When other risk factors (such as high blood pressure and tobacco smoke) are present, this risk increases even more. Your cholesterol level can be affected by your age, gender, family health history and diet.