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Why is HDL Cholesterol also known as Good Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is not very soluble in water. In order to move around our bloodstream it must be carried in some form of transport molecules. This comes in the form of certain proteins called apoliproteins that wrap wrap around cholesterol and other blood fats to form lipoproteins - easentially a combination of protein and fat.

The largest liproprotein is called Chylomicrons. They mainly transport fat from the intestines to the liver. Then there is Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL) - mad in the liver - that transport triglycerides to various tissues such as muscles for for energy production and body fat for storage.

The most famous of cholesterol is Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) also known as "bad cholesterol". It is the major carrier of cholesterol and triglycerides taking them from the liver to other parts of the body. LDL is a major risk factor for heart disease and should be kept low.

Lesser known is Tryglycerides and Lipoprotein (a). Triglycerides is a storage form of fat. Both excess carbohydrates and fats are converted into tryglycerides in the liver. It is a major risk factor for heart disease. Lipoprotein (a) is like LDL except that it carries lipoprotein (a) a sticky repair protein that can thicken the walls of the arteries. Like LDL and Triglecerides it is a major risk factor for heart disease.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) on the other hand takes cholesterol from various parts of the body to the liver to be excreted in bile. It is high in protein and low in cholesterol which makes it ideally suitable for the job. In addition HDL also carries antioxidant enzymes and vitamins and prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol. There is also evidence to suggest that HDL cholesterol cleans out excess cholesterol from the walls of the blood vessels. This is why it is caled HDL is known as "good cholesterol". You want this to be as high as possible.

Note: What is oxidized LDL? Free radical can damage LDL cholesterol making them into oxidized LDL. These oxidized form of LDl are more likely to promote damage to the inner lining of the arteries and atherosclerosis.

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