Dietary cholesterol: from physiology to cardiovascular risk

• Published in: British journal of nutrition Vol. 106; no. 1; pp. 6 - 14
• Main Authors: Lecerf, Jean-Michel, de Lorgeril, Michel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 14.07.2011; CABI Pub
• Subjects: adverse effects; bile acids; Biological and medical sciences; biosynthesis; blood; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; cell membranes; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - biosynthesis; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, Dietary; Cholesterol, Dietary - adverse effects; Cholesterol, Dietary - metabolism; Diet; etiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health risks; Hormones; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Intestinal Absorption - physiology; low density lipoprotein cholesterol; metabolism; Nutrition research; nutrition risk assessment; pharmacokinetics; physiology; phytosterols; Phytosterols - pharmacokinetics; risk; Risk Factors; Steroid hormones; uptake mechanisms; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vitamin D; Dietary cholesterol; Phytosterols; Cardiovascular risk; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Phytosterol; Lipids; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114511000237

Dietary cholesterol comes exclusively from animal sources, thus it is naturally present in our diet and tissues. It is an important component of cell membranes and a precursor of bile acids, steroid hormones and vitamin D. Contrary to phytosterols (originated from plants), cholesterol is synthesised in the human body in order to maintain a stable pool when dietary intake is low. Given the necessity for cholesterol, very effective intestinal uptake mechanisms and enterohepatic bile acid and cholesterol reabsorption cycles exist; conversely, phytosterols are poorly absorbed and, indeed, rapidly excreted. Dietary cholesterol content does not significantly influence plasma cholesterol values, which are regulated by different genetic and nutritional factors that influence cholesterol absorption or synthesis. Some subjects are hyper-absorbers and others are hyper-responders, which implies new therapeutic issues. Epidemiological data do not support a link between dietary cholesterol and CVD. Recent biological data concerning the effect of dietary cholesterol on LDL receptor-related protein may explain the complexity of the effect of cholesterol on CVD risk.