Cholesterol is a waxy fat that is present in all human beings and has
an important role in the body's function. Roughly 80 per cent of the
cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver and is manufactured
for normal body functions, including the production of hormones, bile
acid, and Vitamin D. The other 20 per cent is consumed through diet,
mainly by eating animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy
products.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that may be absorbed from the
intestines or may be produced by the skin when the skin is exposed to
ultraviolet light (particularly sunlight). It is converted to its
active form by the body in two steps, occurring first in the liver and
completed in the kidneys. In its active form, Vitamin D acts as a
hormone to regulate calcium absorption from the intestine and to
regulate levels of calcium and phosphate in the bones. It also helps
maintain adequate blood levels of the minerals calcium and phosphorus.
Because Vitamin D is fat soluble, conditions that reduce digestion or
absorption of fats will decrease the ability of Vitamin D to be
absorbed from the intestines. A vitamin D deficiency can also lead to
soft bones or rickets, a disorder caused by insufficiency or
inefficient action of activated Vitamin D in the body during
childhood.
Cholesterol is carried through the bloodstream by certain proteins
(apolipoproteins). When these proteins wrap around cholesterol and
other types of fats (lipids) to transport them through the
bloodstream, the resulting "packages" are called lipoproteins. There
are There are four different types of lipoproteins that carry
cholesterol through the bloodstream:
1. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are associated with "good"
cholesterol. Research has consistently shown that adequate HDL
cholesterol levels have a protective effect on people's cardiovascular
health.
2. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are associated with "bad"
cholesterol.
3. Very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) are associated with "very bad"
cholesterol.
4. Chylomicrons, which only carry a small percentage of cholesterol.
Chylomicrons are mostly rich in another type of fat (lipid) called
triglycerides.
Armed with this knowledge, a diet low in cholesterol shouldn't affect
an athlete's performance. Exercise does increases the HDL (good
cholesterol) to LDL (bad cholesterol) ratio, thus protecting against
cholesterol damage. But, it does not change the total cholesterol
level in the body; that must be done through diet. However, low
overall cholesterol levels could have an adverse affect on one's
health which could be aggravated by exercise. It is important to
realized that balanced nutrition is probably the most important
element for long term health and vitality. It should be understood
that choosing your foods for efficient fuel transfer directly effects
the rate of active energy metabolism required for peak physical
performance.
If you are interested in learning more about improving your physical
performance through diet, Fort Hays State University (
http://www.fhsu.edu/hhp/faculty/mcneil/mypage/naptests/introduction/ )
has an interactive slide show entitled Nutrition and Athletic
Performance (Sports). Another good site for the more serious reader is
Dr. Bill Misner's Position Paper (
http://www.afpafitness.com/articles/MacroNutrients.htm ) entitled
"MACRONUTRIENTS FOR LONGEVITY,ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE, AND HEALTH-THE
ENDURANCE DIET." And if you are like me and can only read while in
bed, "The Athlete's Kitchen" by Nancy Clark (M.S., R.D.) Is a very
good book with some really interesting facts.
Sources/References
Avera Health: Illustrated Encyclopedia – Cholesterol
http://www.avera.org/adam/ency/article/002472.htm
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