Cholesterol and Liver Disease/Hepatitis

Cholesterol is related to, but not synonymous with, fat. Cholesterol, which is found only in animal products, is not all bad. In fact, in some respects, it is essential to maintaining life. Cholesterol is needed to build sex hormones and bile salts. In the skin, it is made into vitamin D with the help of sunlight. However, people do not need to consume any cholesterol in order to facilitate these processes. The liver is capable of making most of the cholesterol required by the body—only about 15 percent of blood cholesterol comes from the diet. Yet many factors other than diet may account for high blood cholesterol levels. These include cigarette smoking, lack of exercise, and a genetic susceptibility to this condition. Triglyceride levels are a measurement of how much fat is circulating in the bloodstream.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is often referred to as the “good cholesterol,” and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is often referred to as the “bad cholesterol.” HDL cholesterol seems to be responsible for sending all cholesterol to the liver to be broken down and then either recycled or excreted from the body. Overweight people tend to have low levels of HDL and high levels of LDL. Excess fat located around the abdomen (more so than fat deposited elsewhere in the body) seems to be related to elevated blood-cholesterol levels. While not established with certainty, it is believed that the fatty acids released by abdominal fat tend to flow directly into the portal vein and from there directly into the liver. The liver then receives a signal to increase cholesterol output.

People with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) generally have high cholesterol levels (sometimes in the range of 500 to 1,000 milligrams per deciliter) that are not attributable to dietary indiscretions. However, they are not at increased risk for heart disease or heart attacks due to these elevated levels.

All contents of this article are Copyright © Melissa Palmer, MD

Melissa Palmer, MD is the author of " Dr. Melissa Palmer's Guide of Hepatitis and Liver Disease". (Published 2004. Penguin Putnam).

Dr. Palmer is an internationally renowned hepatologist who has been practicing medicine since 1985. Prior to 2012, she maintained perhaps the largest medical practice devoted to liver disease in the United States. Dr. Palmer is Clinical Professor of Medicine at New York University Medical Center. Dr. Palmer graduated from Columbia University with a B.A. and was trained in hepatology (as well as medical school) at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Dr. Palmer is Board Certified in Gastroenterology and in Internal Medicine.

She has authored numerous scientific publications in the field of hepatology in such peer-reviewed journals as Hepatology, Gastroenterology, Seminars of Liver Disease, Transplantation and Archives of Internal Medicine.

She is frequently called upon by the media for her opinion on various topics related to liver disease. Dr. Palmer has appeared many times on television as a liver disease expert and has been quoted in such publications as TIME magazine, Cosmopolitan magazine, Prevention magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and Newsday. She also has appeared in numerous videos and CD-Roms aimed at educating doctors and the public about hepatitis C and other liver diseases, such as primary biliary cirrhosis. Dr. Palmer lectures to the medical and general public on liver disease-related topics on a regular basis.

Dr. Palmer has performed numerous clinical trials on various experimental medications for the treatment of hepatitis.

Dr. Palmer is currently available for lecturing, investor and hedge-fund consultations, consultations to industry, and media interviews and appearances-- including television. For such matters, she can be contacted through hepatitismedia@gmail.com.

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