Eli5 How does cholesterol get from your intestine into your arteries and how does ingested fiber help lower the cholesterol in your arteries?
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The majority of the cholesterol in your blood is produced by your own liver. This is why dietary cholesterol is known to have little effect on overall cholesterol.
This cholesterol is then stored in the gall bladder, which feeds it into the digestive system to help with digestion. It is then reabsorbed by your intestines.
Fiber can impact this in two ways:
1. Insoluble fiber tends to move the contents of your digestive system through the intestines more quickly, so there is less chance for the cholesterol to be reabsorbed.
2. Soluble fiber can absorb cholesterol and then carry it out of your body.
As a result, proper use of fiber is one of the best ways to bring down high cholesterol and is more effective than limiting dietary cholesterol.
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