Your cholesterol level is controlled by bacteria

Diet is commonly blamed for cholesterol levels even though most is made in your own body. New research shows that the bugs in your belly have a lot to do with it too. Gut bacteria set the pace for processing cholesterol into bile. The connection is the FXR protein receptor in the lining of the gut, reports Cell Metabolism in this Science Daily review.  The bacteria have access to the receptor and that in turn signals bile production by the liver.

Who are you exactly?  Findings about the role of bacteria make this a challenging question. These simple life forms make their home inside you and account for 5 to 10% of your body weight.  

Lose weight by shedding bacteria?

"The mammalian colon harbors one of the densest microbial communities found on Earth.  While intestinal microbes by and large mind their own business, feeding off the food we send to our stomachs, they also perform critical functions, such as fine-tuning our immune systems and producing nutrients such as vitamin K.   (There are) at least 5,600 separate species or strains."