What is cholesterol synthesis?

Every cell in the body contains cholesterol, which is used to produce certain hormones, bile acids and vitamin D To ensure availability, the body itself provides a biochemical process called cholesterol synthesis More than half of the body's cholesterol needs are produced by cholesterol synthesis, which occurs daily in the gut and liver Cholesterol precursor cholesterol synthesis begins with acetyl CoA, a byproduct of the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates into cell energy The body has the ability to use acetyl CoA synthetase to start ethanol oxidation to produce acetyl coa Before cholesterol is finally produced by active enzymes, numerous enzymes participate in the reaction process The first involves acetyl CoA thiolase, which produces acetyl coa Reduction reaction Cholesterol synthesis continues to react with acetyl CoA, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-coa and mevalonate Note, however, that statins such as Lipitor can interfere with cholesterol synthesis at this stage If not interfered with by statins, mevalonate is converted to isopentenyl pyrophosphate and then to squalene Squalene is eventually converted to cholesterol