Does cholesterol go away
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Consensus Meter
Does Cholesterol Go Away?
Cholesterol Turnover in Tissues
Cholesterol does not simply "go away" but undergoes a complex process of turnover and equilibrium within the body. Research on cholesterol kinetics in rat tissues has shown that cholesterol in the body exists in different pools that are in fast or slow equilibrium with serum cholesterol. These pools are distributed across various tissues such as the liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and adipose tissue.
Serum and Liver Cholesterol Dynamics
In the liver and serum, cholesterol exhibits a two-component die-away curve over a period of 30 days, which then repeats in the subsequent 30 days. This indicates that cholesterol in these tissues reaches a steady state where it enters and exits at a consistent rate.
Skeletal Muscle and Kidney Cholesterol Dynamics
For skeletal muscle and kidney, cholesterol shows a slow buildup over two weeks, followed by a plateau, and then a two-component die-away. This suggests a more gradual process of cholesterol turnover in these tissues compared to the liver and serum.
Adipose Tissue Cholesterol Dynamics
Adipose tissue behaves differently, showing a high plateau of cholesterol levels from 30 minutes to 30 days, followed by a two-component die-away. The specific activity of cholesterol in adipose tissue remains higher than in serum at all times, indicating that adipose tissue sequesters a significant portion of cholesterol.
Cholesterol Incorporation and Disappearance in Serum
In vitro studies have shown that small amounts of solid cholesterol can dissolve in human serum over prolonged incubation. However, when cholesterol is administered in a non-physiological form, such as in suspensions stabilized by detergents, it disappears rapidly from circulation. This rapid disappearance contrasts with the more stable incorporation of cholesterol into serum lipoproteins, which mimics the natural transport mechanism of lipids in the body.
Conclusion
Cholesterol does not simply disappear but is part of a dynamic equilibrium within the body, involving various tissues and pools. The turnover rates and equilibrium states differ among tissues, with the liver and serum showing repetitive die-away curves, while skeletal muscle, kidney, and adipose tissue exhibit more complex patterns. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective strategies for managing cholesterol levels in metabolic studies and clinical settings.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic