Types of Cholesterol

Two Types of Cholesterol

     There are two main types of cholesterol:

• HDL and LDL. Most cholesterol is LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. 
• LDL cholesterol is more likely to clog blood vessels because it carries the cholesterol away from the liver into the bloodstream, where it can stick to the blood vessels.
• HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, on the other hand, carries the cholesterol back to the liver where it is broken down.
• LDL cholesterol can build up on the inside of artery walls, contributing to artery blockages that can lead to heart attacks.
• Higher LDL cholesterol levels mean higher risk. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because it helps prevent arteries from becoming clogged. 
• Higher HDL cholesterol levels generally mean lower risk.


A blood test to check cholesterol levels — called a lipid panel or lipid profile — typically reports:
Total cholesterol
HDL cholesterol


LDL cholesterol


Triglycerides, a type of fat often increased by sweets and alcohol

Cholesterol is carried in the blood as part of particles called lipoproteins. There are different types of lipoproteins, but the most relevant to cholesterol are:

Low-density lipoproteins carrying cholesterol - 

• This is often referred to as bad cholesterol. 
• This is the one mainly involved in forming atheroma. 
• Atheroma is the main underlying cause of various cardiovascular diseases.
• The majority of cholesterol in the blood is LDL cholesterol, but how much varies from person to person. 
• In most people, 60 to 70 percent of cholesterol is carried in LDL particles. 
• LDL particles act as ferries, taking cholesterol to the parts of the body that need it at any given time. 
• Unfortunately, if you have too much LDL in the bloodstream, it deposits the cholesterol into the arteries, which can cause blockages and lead to heart attacks. 
• That's why people refer to LDL as the "bad" cholesterol.

High-density lipoproteins carrying cholesterol - 

• HDL is basically the opposite of LDL. Instead of having a lot of fat, HDL has a lot of protein. Instead of ferrying cholesterol around the body, HDL acts as a vacuum cleaner sucking up as much excess cholesterol.
• It picks up extra cholesterol from the cells and tissues and takes it back to the liver, which takes the cholesterol out of the particle and either uses it to make bile or recycles it. 
• This action is thought to explain why high levels of HDL are associated with low risk for heart disease. 
• HDL also contains antioxidant molecules that may prevent LDL from being changed into a lipoprotein that is even more likely to cause heart disease. 
• Lifestyle changes affect HDL levels—exercise can increase them, while obesity and smoking lower them. As for diet, in general, the high-fat diets that raise LDL also raise HDL, while low-fat diets lower both.
• This is often referred to as good cholesterol. This may prevent atheroma forming.