01/07/2026
Did you know that cholesterol in your skin converts to vitamin D?
When sunlight hits this tiny molecule it converts it to vitamin D that your body then uses to create strong teeth, bones, and immune systems.
So why have we been told to avoid cholesterol in our diet?
The issue is that we’ve completely misunderstood what cholesterol is. Dietary cholesterol is a small molecule that is a very important precursor for s*x hormones in the body.
The problem lies with a complete misunderstanding of the term 'cholesterol'.
When we say blood cholesterols, that is actually referring to the family of larger molecules that carry all fat soluble vitamins around the body (including vitamin D).
Cholesterol is a tiny molecule that helps bind these 'carrier' molecules together.
Then it is also used in the skin as to detect sunlight which begin a chemical reaction to convert into vitamin D.
Today the idea cholesterol purely causes heart disease has been challenged.
When cholesterol is implicated in causing cardiovascular problems, it is not the lipid itself that is the culprit, but rather the lipoproteins that carry cholesterol to and from cells.
Broadly, there are two groups: high-density lipoprotein (HDL), colloquially referred to as good cholesterol; and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, that is said to increase the risk of heart attacks.
High density (HDL) and low density (LDL) lipoproteins are just part of the cycle the liver sends out to deliver fat soluble vitamins (including cholesterol) to the rest of the body.
They exist in high or low density forms and having more of them isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The more important ration to measure are blood triglycerides which are single fat molecules floating through the blood. The ratio of triglycerides to HDL (High density lipoproteins) is potentially a far better marker of risk of heart disease which are raised from sugar consumption.
We need to see cholesterol as a part of the diet that is critical for a healthy heart as well as bones and teeth.
Do you remember the low cholesterol craze?
