Dietary Fat and Cholesterol

Dietary fat is required to build and maintain myelin, the insulating sheath that enables high-speed neural signal conduction. Cholesterol is required to synthesize bile salts, which are essential for absorbing fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Statin medications threaten brain structure and function by suppressing cholesterol synthesis. Low-fat and low-cholesterol diets are associated with increased dementia risk as well as anxiety and depression. The brain is the fattiest organ in the human body, comprising 60% fat despite being only 2% of body weight.