Nutritional requirements of infants and children with respect to cholesterol and related compounds.

Cholesterol is an enigmatic, essential metabolite. Breast milk contains significant quantities of cholesterol, yet human infants thrive on cholesterol-free diets. Recommendations to lower serum cholesterol are widespread, yet low serum cholesterol is associated with poorly understood morbidity. Serum cholesterol is increased with diets high in fat, yet dietary cholesterol has relatively little effect on serum concentrations. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, marked with extremely low serum cholesterol, may serve as a human model for the evaluation of absorption and metabolism of dietary cholesterol.