As well as increasing the risk of fatty liver disease, high cholesterol levels were found to have an impact on the operation of immune cells, the body’s frontline defence against viruses.
High cholesterol led to changes in cells known as macrophages, these cells fight off invading viruses through inflammation. However, they also work to reduce the inflammation once the threat has gone.
Macrophages are also used by the body to communicate with other cells and help with healing in some scenarios. Any damage which comes to these cells can be highly significant; mice with high cholesterol found that the diet resulted in long term damage to these cells.
On the importance of this research for humans, Maretti-Mira said: “Our daily diet has lots of carbohydrates, such as sugary drinks, bread, rice and pasta. Then there’s high fat, since everybody likes deep fried foods. At the same time, we don’t have the same active life we used to, so we end up eating much more than our body needs.”
