Cholesterol

Normal healthy adults synthesize cholesterol at a rate of approximately 1g/day and consume approximately 0.3g/day. A relatively constant level of cholesterol in the body (150 - 200 mg/dL) is maintained primarily by controlling the level of cholesterol synthesis.

LIPIDTypical values (mg/dl)Desirable (mg/dl)
Cholesterol (total)170-210<200
LDL cholesterol60-140<130
HDL cholesterol35-85>35
Triglycerides40-150<135
  • Total cholesterol is the sum of
    • HDL cholesterol
    • LDL cholesterol and
    • 20% of the triglyceride value
  • Note that
    • high LDL values are bad, but
    • high HDL values are good.

The NIH says that a cardiac risk ratio greater than 7 is considered a warning where

cardiac risk ratio = total cholesterol divided by HDL cholesterol

HDL - high-density lipoproteins ("good"), 50 % protein, 18 % cholesterol, transports from cells to liver, synthesized in the blood
LDL - low-density lipoproteins ("bad"), 35 % protein, carries, 45 % cholesterol, transports to cells, synthesized in the liver

gemfibrozil.gif - 1837 Bytes
5-(2,5-dimethylphenoxy)-2,2-dimethylpentanoic acid)

     Gemfibrozil (a.k.a. Lopid or Lipozid) is a lipid-regulating agent used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Like Clofibrate and Fenofibrate, it is a derivative of fibric acid and promote rapid VLDL turnover by activating lipoprotein lipase. They also induce the diversion of hepatic free fatty acids from esterification reactions to those of oxidation, thereby decreasing the liver's secretion of triacylglycerol- and cholesterol-rich VLDLs.
Fenofibrate
2-[4-(4Chlorobenzoyl phenoxy)]-2-methyl propionic acid-1-methyl ethyl ether

The 1985 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Michael S. Brown and Joseph L. Goldstein
ldl uptake ldl   abnormal receptor

Other Links: Lipid Digestion and Lipoproteins | 1985 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Brown & Goldstein