Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like material that is made by the liver. Cholesterol serves many vital functions, and is part of every cell in the body. Our bodies require cholesterol to maintain healthy cell walls, make hormones, make vitamin D, and to make bile acids.

The food we eat can also play a big part in the amount of cholesterol in our bodies. If we eat an excess of food containing saturated fat, the liver will produce more cholesterol than the body needs. Our bodies will also absorb cholesterol directly from food that contains cholesterol.

In nature cholesterol is only found in animal based foods, but some food processing can cause other foods to have cholesterol as well. Foods fried in animal fat or tropical oils, have also been found to contain cholesterol. Saturated fat is also found primarily in animal based foods.

Cholesterol on its own can not dissolve in the blood. Tiny particles called lipoproteins deliver cholesterol to and from the blood cells. There are two lipoproteins that work with cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream to the tissues, where it can be used or stored by the body. The reason this type of cholesterol is referred to as “Bad” is that this is the cholesterol that can build-up and clog arteries. This is what happens when there is too much LDL in the body.

HDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Good” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream from the tissues to the liver. The liver then expels this cholesterol from the body. A high HDL level will tend to protect against heart attack and stroke.

There are other factors that can affect your blood cholesterol levels. Some of these factors include being overweight, lack of exercise, inherited health traits, increased age, and gender. Women after menopause tend to have higher cholesterol than before menopause. Women also tend to have a higher HDL level throughout there lives than men. This may help to explain why women under the age of 80 usually experience lower rates of heart disease and stroke than men.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a high cholesterol level is considered to be over 200 mg/dL for your total cholesterol. Total cholesterol is calculated as (LDL + HDL). This however, is not the only figure that you should be concerned about. You also need to have a HDL level greater than or equal to 45 mg/dL, to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Total Blood Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 200 mg/dL

Borderline: 200-239 mg/dL

High: 240 mg/dL or higher

HDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: 45 mg/dL or higher

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 130 mg/dL

Borderline: 130-159 mg/dL

High: 160 mg/dL or higher

Find more articles like this: http://www.GreatestHealthSupplements.com

Natural Remedies and Tips to Prevent and Treat Cardiovascular Disease

The heart is a powerful organ that works constantly, without ever pausing to rest. Stopping to function for a few seconds means disaster. Cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of death in developed countries. Each year 1.5 million people suffer a heart attack; 250,000 will die as a result before they reach a hospital. In the United States alone, heart disease kills one person every 34 seconds. Any symptoms of heart disease you that feel you should take it seriously. Cardiovascular diseases are mainly caused by the environment, age, gender, lifestyle, stress, tobacco and unbalanced diet.Age - The incidence and risk of heart disease increases as we grow older.Family - Some people are particularly predisposed towards developing heart disease due to inherited genetic factorsGender- Men have more heart attacks than women, but women have a higher death rate.Lifestyle - Choosing a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly can help you improve your health and reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes.Stress – stress makes your blood pressure goes up, which can cause heart disease and other health problems. Besides heart disease, stress affects the immune system, which influences many diseases. Tobacco – besides cancer, cigarette smoke is the leading cause of heart disease. Three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking. Alimentation – A good diet high in soluble fiber may lower your risk of heart disease. Several cardiovascular risk factors are heavily influenced by nutrition: • cholesterol and especially the bad (LDL) cholesterol• triglycerides (fats are as harmful as cholesterol when it comes to cardiovascular disease)• homocysteine (risk factor independent of cholesterol and hypertension) which increases 3 times the risk of coronary heart disease. • fast and slow carbohydrates that release insulin, which in turn, promotes the formation of cholesterol and fatsLet’s talk a little bit about cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. To work properly, your body needs some cholesterol. The problem occurs when you have too much in your blood. Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream adheres to the interior walls of arteries; this is called plaque. In return, Plaque can narrow or block your arteries. Too much cholesterol is very common among men but also among women.Very often, when a patient has high cholesterol, he is prescribed drugs (generic Simvastatin, pravastatin Atorvastatin). They are indeed very effective, but sometimes cause muscular side effects. Moreover, once the treatment is interrupted, cholesterol is back quickly because the problem is not resolved.Supplements to prevent cardiovascular diseaseThe strongest prevention against cardiovascular disease is a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, meat, and sugar. Supplements you need to intake in your diet are B-vitamins, magnesium, Omega-3 fatty acids, garlic, potassium, calcium, agnesium, and Coenzyme Q10. Alternative treatmentMany alternative treatments can restore and keep your heart healthy. One of them, Chelation therapy, is considered as the alternative equivalent of heart surgery. To learn more about Natural alternative for heart disease including heart nutrition, heart supplements, and herbal remedies to reduce heart attack risk, Visit our heart disease cure, website.

Natural Remedies for Lowering Cholesterol

There are many people that have been diagnosed with high cholesterol that choose to take their treatment into their own hands. Changing their diet along with adding a regular exercise routine can go a long way to help control high cholesterol levels. There are a number of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol and when you do the proper research you can find many tools that will help you to achieve your cholesterol goals without having to resort to traditional pharmaceutical methods.Herbs and Natural Nutritional SubstancesThere are many herbs that are said to be natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. They can be found in any natural market or on many sites online. They are often not expensive and can go a long way in helping you lower your cholesterol in a natural way. Often there are other ingredients contained in a supplement which you are considering, so be sure you speak to your health care provider to ensure that all ingredients will safely interact with any other type of medication you may be taking at present.The way herbs and natural products work to lower cholesterol is by getting rid of fat in the blood. There has been much research done into which of the herbs and natural remedies work, but science is still unsure about exactly why they work to lower cholesterol as effectively as they do.Natural Products Shown to Effectively Lower CholesterolChromium is a natural product that has been proven effective in raising the good cholesterol HDL and lowering the LDL or bad cholesterol. Carnitine has shown that it will increase the levels of HDL resulting in an overall cholesterol reduction. B-Vitamins help to control cholesterol levels by decreasing oxidization that is the most damaging to LDL cholesterol. Adding more fiber to your diet is another important natural substance that can help you to lower your levels of damaging cholesterol. You can incorporate fiber either through diet or fiber supplements. Vegetables and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber and some fruits are as well such as apples. Coenzyme Q10 has had wonderful effects in total cholesterol reduction. Garlic as well has been touted for its cholesterol lowering effects. Grapeseed extract, red yeast rice, and panthothine are also part of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. Vitamin C, soy and royal jelly are also good at lowering cholesterol. Royal jelly helps to reduce the effects that nicotine has on cholesterol elevation if you smoke. What You Can Do ?Before taking the drastic step of going on a pharmaceutical regime, try some natural alternatives that have proven records of helping to fight and reduce high cholesterol. There are many products available that can do what conventional medication can without the risks. Cholesterol is directly related to good cardiovascular health and finding the right natural supplement to add to your routine will help you to rid your body of dangerous toxins as well as aid in the fight against high cholesterol. Look into the ingredients of many natural supplements and find the ones that specifically target cholesterol health. OC-Max is an excellent product as it has many of the ingredients in one convenient pill to combat high levels of cholesterol.

Cholesterol In Young Adult

Parts of adolescent’s body are filled with a waxy stuff identified as cholesterol. It helps to produce vitamin D, cell membranes and certain hormones. Blood cholesterol comes from two different sources, liver within the body and food. The adolescent’s liver produces enough cholesterol to carry out proper functioning. The blood acts as the carrier of cholesterol and transports it to different parts of the body. They are transported in round particle form known as lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins called the low density lipoproteins or LDL and high density lipoproteins or HDL. Low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol is commonly known as bad cholesterol. It helps in the building up of plaque in arteries and this condition is known as atherosclerosis. The LDL level must be low in the blood and if it is high it must be decreased. Healthy weight must be maintained and exercise should be done regularly. Food items which have high contents of calories, dietary cholesterol and saturated fat must be avoided. High density lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol. It is actually a kind of fat in blood which helps to remove bad cholesterol from the body and stops the build up of plaque in the arteries. The more the HDL cholesterol in the blood the better it is. The HDL can be raised by at least twenty minutes of exercising daily, decreasing body mass and keeping away from food with saturated fat. Some adolescents need to take medications in order to increase HDL. In such cases, increasing HDL can be a complicated procedure and the physician can make a therapeutic plan to increase HDL in the blood stream. Cholesterol screening helps to determine the cholesterol and fat levels in the blood. Children and adolescents with normal cholesterol level is a thing of the past. Because of the changing lifestyle and junk food trend, even they have a high risk to develop high levels of cholesterol which also increases the risk of developing heart diseases which can affect the blood vessels and the coronary arteries. The main cause of this change is obesity, junk food high in fat, fast food diets, sedentary lifestyle and high cholesterol level in family history. Keeping the blood cholesterol levels at normal is a good way of avoiding high blood pressure and coronary artery diseases. The blood cholesterol level can vary from individual to individual. Healthy levels of LDL is less than one hundred and thirty milligrams, HDL is greater than thirty five milligrams. If the HDL is less than thirty five milligrams then the adolescent is at a higher risk of developing heart diseases. And LDL more than one hundred and thirty milligrams is dangerous. But a high level of LDL cholesterol is a problem in many citizens of America. And there is an expected increase in number, the figure is unknown, of adolescents who have a family history of high cholesterol levels. An adolescent or a child who has a parent having high levels of blood cholesterol and family history of heart diseases at an early age, should take cholesterol test from the age of two. Adolescents who are obese also should have lipid test along with cholesterol test. The lipid test shows levels of kinds of fats in blood such as triglycerides, LDL and HDL.

How to Get Rid of %26quot;Bad%26quot; Cholesterol

An elevated level of serum (blood) cholesterol is one of the major risk factors of heart disease, though by no means the only one. It is recommended for cholesterol levels to be kept under 200 mg/dl. There are certain measures you can take to do this. How can high cholesterol be prevented and treated naturally? Strict adherence to dietary and nutritional requirements can treat high cholesterol. Health care practitioners and natural treatment specialists can give you advice about this kind of preventative treatment.Though high cholesterol levels are related to heart disease, low levels of cholesterol are not a guarantee of heart health, and those with low cholesterol can suffer from heart attacks. It is important to think of all the other factors that come into play with heart health, and not just high cholesterol. Also, a natural treatment for high cholesterol can help you to avoid negative outcomes.High cholesterol treatmentCholesterol measurements include measure of both “good” (HDL) and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is linked directly to heart disease, while HDL cholesterol is protective. Though saturated fat has been found to be related to serum cholesterol levels, lowering saturated fat in the diet will not necessarily result in lowered cholesterol for every person. If you have made dietary changes with no result cholesterol lowering after several months, you should see a doctor to discuss alternative methods to lowering cholesterol.Reducing cholesterol naturallySupplementing the diet with fish is one of the best ways to naturally lower cholesterol. Fish has been said to increase levels of HDL cholesterol and in most studies has been linked to a reduction in heart disease risk. Fish oil contains ingredients such as EPA and DHA which are omega03 fatty acids that appear to protect against heart disease. Fish also contains very little saturated fat.Natural high cholesterol treatmentToo much meat in the diet can have a negative impact on cholesterol levels. In modern times in the United States, more meat is being consumed, and this has had a side effect of raising the levels of cholesterol of Americans. In general, cholesterol levels and incidences of heart disease among vegetarians are lower, in part because vegetarians do not consume animal fat. In addition, vegans, who eat no animal products, including dairy, have the lowest cholesterol levels of all. Lifestyle changes along with a vegan diet have been shown in studies to reverse heart disease.

Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

Researchers don’t have to rack their brains to figure out the whys and wherefores of the high Diabetes type 2, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, incidence that plagues us nowadays because the reason is quite obvious: our lifestyle. In general, our diet, our level of activity (none in many cases) and our size, have taken a turn for the worse and Type 2 Diabetes is the price many of us will end up paying for it. The good news is that neither your lifestyle nor your risk of developing diabetes is cast in stone. You can stop diabetes by being physically active, following a balanced diet, and losing weight.Metabolic syndrome or syndrome XIn addition to physical inactivity and obesity, two major risks for diabetes, we cannot forget other health risks such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, resistance to insulin, and low levels of HDL cholesterol , the good guy, that contribute to the alarming number of diabetes cases. All these health conditions form the Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, a dangerous cocktail that according to many studies done during the last few years is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Who is at risk for Diabetes Type 2? To know if you are at risk for diabetes type 2 or diabetes Mellitus, check the following lines:1. Your waist measures over 90 centimeters (35 inches) if you are a man, or 80 centimeters (32 inches) if you are a woman2. Your blood pressure is over 120/80 mmHg3. Your fasting blood sugar level (early in the morning, before having anything to eat) is over 100 mg/dl4. Your LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl5. Your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl6. Your triglycerides level is over 150 mg/dlIf you have three or more of the above conditions, it means you have a metabolic syndrome and, as a result, a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other pathologies.Preventing obesity is crucialAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, 80 percent of the people who have Diabetes Type 2 were overweight at the time of the diagnosis. So, if you are overweight but you have not had a diabetes diagnosis, you are lucky. However, be on the alert because those extra pounds can result in a pre-diabetes type II condition before you realize it. To know if you need to lose weight, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of a person’s weight in relation to height. It is determined by dividing the weight (in kilograms) by the square of the height (in meters).Key results:BMI

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like material that is made by the liver. Cholesterol serves many vital functions, and is part of every cell in the body. Our bodies require cholesterol to maintain healthy cell walls, make hormones, make vitamin D, and to make bile acids.

The food we eat can also play a big part in the amount of cholesterol in our bodies. If we eat an excess of food containing saturated fat, the liver will produce more cholesterol than the body needs. Our bodies will also absorb cholesterol directly from food that contains cholesterol.

In nature cholesterol is only found in animal based foods, but some food processing can cause other foods to have cholesterol as well. Foods fried in animal fat or tropical oils, have also been found to contain cholesterol. Saturated fat is also found primarily in animal based foods.

Cholesterol on its own can not dissolve in the blood. Tiny particles called lipoproteins deliver cholesterol to and from the blood cells. There are two lipoproteins that work with cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream to the tissues, where it can be used or stored by the body. The reason this type of cholesterol is referred to as “Bad” is that this is the cholesterol that can build-up and clog arteries. This is what happens when there is too much LDL in the body.

HDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Good” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream from the tissues to the liver. The liver then expels this cholesterol from the body. A high HDL level will tend to protect against heart attack and stroke.

There are other factors that can affect your blood cholesterol levels. Some of these factors include being overweight, lack of exercise, inherited health traits, increased age, and gender. Women after menopause tend to have higher cholesterol than before menopause. Women also tend to have a higher HDL level throughout there lives than men. This may help to explain why women under the age of 80 usually experience lower rates of heart disease and stroke than men.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a high cholesterol level is considered to be over 200 mg/dL for your total cholesterol. Total cholesterol is calculated as (LDL + HDL). This however, is not the only figure that you should be concerned about. You also need to have a HDL level greater than or equal to 45 mg/dL, to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Total Blood Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 200 mg/dL

Borderline: 200-239 mg/dL

High: 240 mg/dL or higher

HDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: 45 mg/dL or higher

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 130 mg/dL

Borderline: 130-159 mg/dL

High: 160 mg/dL or higher

Find more articles like this: http://www.GreatestHealthSupplements.com

Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels With Beta Sitosterol A Plant Phytosterol

Beta Sitosterol is a plant phytosterol that offers many benefits to your health. Many of these are due to its effect in reducing both total and LDL cholesterol in the blood, although that is not the only effect that phytosterols can have on your body. Phytosterol is one of many phytochemicals that are beneficial to your health, and the term ‘phyto’ simply indicates that the substance is obtained from plants. Phytosterols are not obtainable in your diet from animal sources, and beta sitosterol is mainly found in seeds, soy and corn oils. Because of this, most of the population do not have high intake, and so supplements are generally the most common source of this valuable material.There are commonly two types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL, and it is the LDL form that is said to be the ‘bad’ cholesterol. In fact the terms refer to the high density and low density lipoproteins that carry the cholesterol around the body. Cholesterol itself is fat soluble, and does not dissolve in water. It therefore cannot travel through the blood without the aid of a water soluble protein, which is what the lipoproteins are. Low density lipoproteins consist of a charged protein portion and a lipid, or fat, frequently a triglyceride. The charged protein portion is water soluble, and can carry the lipid and cholesterol round the blood. Cholesterol is not a bad substance, but carries out many useful functions, one of which is repairing damage to blood vessels: a bit like a sticking plaster. However, the LDL can become oxidized by free radicals in the body, and it is this oxidized LDL that reacts by depositing fatty plaques of cholesterol onto the arterial walls and ultimately blocking them. The HDL carries cholesterol from the blood to the liver where it is destroyed and then secreted, which is why it is sometimes termed ‘good’ cholesterol. Beta sitosterol significantly reduces the amount of both LDL and total cholesterol levels in the blood. Once the total cholesterol level has dropped to a certain level, then the body produces more HDL cholesterol and so maintains balance that is higher than normal in the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. The way that phytosterols do this is believed to be by reducing the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the gut, because the sterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol and can occupy the cholesterol absorption sites. Beta sitosterol is particularly effective in this mechanism. Rather than the body absorbing cholesterol it passes it thorough the gut unchanged and eliminates it. The National Cholesterol Education Program has recommended that the optimum blood LDL cholesterol level is below 100 mg/dl and that the total of LDL and HDL be below 200 mg/dl. A regular intake of beta sitosterol can help to maintain these levels without reducing your cholesterol to a dangerously low level. As previously stated, cholesterol is an essential component of your normal biochemistry, and too low a level could be dangerous. What you need is natural regulation of the LDL form, and that is what beta sitosterol and the other phytosterols do. However, beta sitosterol does more than just control your cholesterol balance.It also supports the health of your prostate. Studies indicate that a daily intake of 60 mg – 130 mg beta sitosterol can reduce the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, the Sunday name for non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. This could be due to its effect on LDL cholesterol levels, since other studies have indicated a possible connection between high cholesterol levels and prostate enlargement. This might again be due to the occupation of receptor sites in the prostate cell membranes by the phytosterol. Saw palmetto, commonly used to treat prostate problems, contains beta sitosterol. It also appears to modulate the biochemical synthesis of cytokines, which are responsible for the inflammatory response of the immune system to foreign invaders and tissue damage. It also appears to boost the activity of NK-cells, and also of the proliferation of lymphocytes in general. Another effect of beta sitosterol is in normalizing the insulin and blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes. It does this by inhibiting the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase that is responsible for the conversion of carbohydrates to D-glucose which raises blood sugar levels. The upshot is that the onset of age related Type 2 diabetes is delayed. In general, beta sitosterol displays many properties beneficial to your health. It displays anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, is believed to be responsible for the suppression of cancers of the colon and prostate, and lymphocytic leukemia. It appears to act as an anti-inflammatory, and has a beneficial effect on ulcers and cramps. There is even evidence that it can help to cure allergies, although more studies are required to confirm this. Those suffering from specific allergies have reported a lessening of the effects when taking beta sitosterol supplements, although it is possible that other dietary factors were also involved.Beta sitosterol is contained in some concentration or another in most plants, but those richest in the phytosterol are wheat germ, peanuts, soybeans, corn oil, pumpkin seeds and rice bran. None of these form a particularly large part of the western diet, and a supplement is likely the best way to ensure a sufficiently adequate frequent intake as to have a significant effect on your LDL cholesterol level. Although a daily intake of 300 mg has been cited by some sources as adequate, there have been no reported ill effects of taking this supplement at higher dosages. As already stated, your cholesterol levels are self regulating to a minimum level and you cannot completely block its absorption. Hence, it is not possible to take so much beta sitosterol as to reduce your LDL cholesterol to a dangerously low level.There is sufficient evidence for the effects of beta sitosterol on the body to indicate that if your diet is low in those seeds, nuts and beans that contain significant quantities, the a supplement will provide you with benefits to your health, particularly if you have high blood cholesterol levels or problems with your prostate gland.

Are You Overweight but Do Not Have a Diabetes Diagnosis? You Are Lucky! Part I

Researchers don’t have to rack their brains to figure out the whys and wherefores of the high Diabetes type 2, also known as Diabetes Mellitus, incidence that plagues us nowadays because the reason is quite obvious: our lifestyle. In general, our diet, our level of activity (none in many cases) and our size, have taken a turn for the worse and Type 2 Diabetes is the price many of us will end up paying for it. The good news is that neither your lifestyle nor your risk of developing diabetes is cast in stone. You can stop diabetes by being physically active, following a balanced diet, and losing weight.Metabolic syndrome or syndrome XIn addition to physical inactivity and obesity, two major risks for diabetes, we cannot forget other health risks such as high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, resistance to insulin, and low levels of HDL cholesterol , the good guy, that contribute to the alarming number of diabetes cases. All these health conditions form the Metabolic Syndrome or Syndrome X, a dangerous cocktail that according to many studies done during the last few years is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.Who is at risk for Diabetes Type 2? To know if you are at risk for diabetes type 2 or diabetes Mellitus, check the following lines:1. Your waist measures over 90 centimeters (35 inches) if you are a man, or 80 centimeters (32 inches) if you are a woman2. Your blood pressure is over 120/80 mmHg3. Your fasting blood sugar level (early in the morning, before having anything to eat) is over 100 mg/dl4. Your LDL cholesterol level is over 100 mg/dl5. Your HDL cholesterol is below 60 mg/dl6. Your triglycerides level is over 150 mg/dlIf you have three or more of the above conditions, it means you have a metabolic syndrome and, as a result, a higher risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other pathologies.Preventing obesity is crucialAccording to the International Diabetes Federation, 80 percent of the people who have Diabetes Type 2 were overweight at the time of the diagnosis. So, if you are overweight but you have not had a diabetes diagnosis, you are lucky. However, be on the alert because those extra pounds can result in a pre-diabetes type II condition before you realize it. To know if you need to lose weight, check your Body Mass Index (BMI), an index of a person’s weight in relation to height. It is determined by dividing the weight (in kilograms) by the square of the height (in meters).Key results:BMI

Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels With Beta Sitosterol A Plant Phytosterol

Beta Sitosterol is a plant phytosterol that offers many benefits to your health. Many of these are due to its effect in reducing both total and LDL cholesterol in the blood, although that is not the only effect that phytosterols can have on your body. Phytosterol is one of many phytochemicals that are beneficial to your health, and the term ‘phyto’ simply indicates that the substance is obtained from plants. Phytosterols are not obtainable in your diet from animal sources, and beta sitosterol is mainly found in seeds, soy and corn oils. Because of this, most of the population do not have high intake, and so supplements are generally the most common source of this valuable material.There are commonly two types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL, and it is the LDL form that is said to be the ‘bad’ cholesterol. In fact the terms refer to the high density and low density lipoproteins that carry the cholesterol around the body. Cholesterol itself is fat soluble, and does not dissolve in water. It therefore cannot travel through the blood without the aid of a water soluble protein, which is what the lipoproteins are. Low density lipoproteins consist of a charged protein portion and a lipid, or fat, frequently a triglyceride. The charged protein portion is water soluble, and can carry the lipid and cholesterol round the blood. Cholesterol is not a bad substance, but carries out many useful functions, one of which is repairing damage to blood vessels: a bit like a sticking plaster. However, the LDL can become oxidized by free radicals in the body, and it is this oxidized LDL that reacts by depositing fatty plaques of cholesterol onto the arterial walls and ultimately blocking them. The HDL carries cholesterol from the blood to the liver where it is destroyed and then secreted, which is why it is sometimes termed ‘good’ cholesterol. Beta sitosterol significantly reduces the amount of both LDL and total cholesterol levels in the blood. Once the total cholesterol level has dropped to a certain level, then the body produces more HDL cholesterol and so maintains balance that is higher than normal in the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. The way that phytosterols do this is believed to be by reducing the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the gut, because the sterols have a similar chemical structure to cholesterol and can occupy the cholesterol absorption sites. Beta sitosterol is particularly effective in this mechanism. Rather than the body absorbing cholesterol it passes it thorough the gut unchanged and eliminates it. The National Cholesterol Education Program has recommended that the optimum blood LDL cholesterol level is below 100 mg/dl and that the total of LDL and HDL be below 200 mg/dl. A regular intake of beta sitosterol can help to maintain these levels without reducing your cholesterol to a dangerously low level. As previously stated, cholesterol is an essential component of your normal biochemistry, and too low a level could be dangerous. What you need is natural regulation of the LDL form, and that is what beta sitosterol and the other phytosterols do. However, beta sitosterol does more than just control your cholesterol balance.It also supports the health of your prostate. Studies indicate that a daily intake of 60 mg – 130 mg beta sitosterol can reduce the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, the Sunday name for non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate. This could be due to its effect on LDL cholesterol levels, since other studies have indicated a possible connection between high cholesterol levels and prostate enlargement. This might again be due to the occupation of receptor sites in the prostate cell membranes by the phytosterol. Saw palmetto, commonly used to treat prostate problems, contains beta sitosterol. It also appears to modulate the biochemical synthesis of cytokines, which are responsible for the inflammatory response of the immune system to foreign invaders and tissue damage. It also appears to boost the activity of NK-cells, and also of the proliferation of lymphocytes in general. Another effect of beta sitosterol is in normalizing the insulin and blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetes. It does this by inhibiting the enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase that is responsible for the conversion of carbohydrates to D-glucose which raises blood sugar levels. The upshot is that the onset of age related Type 2 diabetes is delayed. In general, beta sitosterol displays many properties beneficial to your health. It displays anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, is believed to be responsible for the suppression of cancers of the colon and prostate, and lymphocytic leukemia. It appears to act as an anti-inflammatory, and has a beneficial effect on ulcers and cramps. There is even evidence that it can help to cure allergies, although more studies are required to confirm this. Those suffering from specific allergies have reported a lessening of the effects when taking beta sitosterol supplements, although it is possible that other dietary factors were also involved.Beta sitosterol is contained in some concentration or another in most plants, but those richest in the phytosterol are wheat germ, peanuts, soybeans, corn oil, pumpkin seeds and rice bran. None of these form a particularly large part of the western diet, and a supplement is likely the best way to ensure a sufficiently adequate frequent intake as to have a significant effect on your LDL cholesterol level. Although a daily intake of 300 mg has been cited by some sources as adequate, there have been no reported ill effects of taking this supplement at higher dosages. As already stated, your cholesterol levels are self regulating to a minimum level and you cannot completely block its absorption. Hence, it is not possible to take so much beta sitosterol as to reduce your LDL cholesterol to a dangerously low level.There is sufficient evidence for the effects of beta sitosterol on the body to indicate that if your diet is low in those seeds, nuts and beans that contain significant quantities, the a supplement will provide you with benefits to your health, particularly if you have high blood cholesterol levels or problems with your prostate gland.