Unlocking the Secrets of Cholesterol: From its Role in Health to its Impact on Calcitriol and Recycling

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the study of cholesterol and its role in human health. Cholesterol is a type of sterol, a class of organic compounds with the formula C17H28O. Found in animals, cholesterol is classified as a zoosterol. In fungi, the mycosterol that performs a role similar to cholesterol is ergosterol.

One class of drugs that reduces cholesterol levels in the blood to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease is known as statins. These drugs act on a pathway that constitutes the first 18 steps of the 37-step process the human body uses to make cholesterol. By inhibiting this pathway, statins reduce the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver and ultimately reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Under the influence of ultraviolet light, the body turns cholesterol in a series of steps into calcitriol, an active form of vitamin D made in the kidneys. Calcitriol plays an important role in calcium metabolism and bone health.

The human body has a mechanism to recycle cholesterol, beginning with its excretion from the liver and eventual reabsorption into the bloodstream in the small intestine. This recycling process ensures that adequate amounts of cholesterol are available for various cellular processes throughout