What’s So Bad About LDL Cholesterol?
We hear a lot of talk about a variety of kinds of cholesterol: good, bad, HDL, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, lipids and more. If you’re not a doctor, all somewhat confusing.
The goal of this post is to explain what LDL cholesterol is – the type that’s also known as “bad” cholesterol – and the role it plays in overall cholesterol health.
First, it’s probably a good idea to do a quick refresher on precisely what cholesterol is and the relationship between cholesterol and fat.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that circulates in the blood. The body manufactures a certain amount of it, predominantly in the liver. We get more from the food we eat. Because cholesterol is incapable of traveling through the bloodstream alone, it must attach itself to a protein. This combination is called a “lipoprotein.”
LDL stands for “low density lipoprotein.” Think of it as ”low down and lousy,” because this is the bad stuff. LDL gets stuck on the walls of the arteries, building up plaque which causes an obstruction, or “hardening of the arteries.” It can lead to a heart attack if it builds up in the coronary arteries, or a stroke if it builds up in cerebral arteries.
There’s another typeof lipoprotein that’s exactly the opposite. It’s the “good” cholesterol you hear people talking about. This type is known as HDL or “high density lipoprotein.” It’s considered to be “good” cholesterol because it attaches itself onto the bad cholesterol and carries it through the bloodstream to the liver. From there, it’s flushed out of the body.
A lot of the LDL in our diet comes from fats in the foods we eat : especially two kinds of fats. These are known as saturated fats and trans fats. You find these unhealthy fats in meat (especially the red variety), certain oils (like those used for french fries in fast food restaurants), prepackaged and processed foods, and baked goods.
When you avoid these foods and focusing on healthy choices like fruits, vegetables, and certain nuts and grains, you can lower your LDL which lowers the possibility that you’ll ever have heart disease.
The simple abbreviations LDL and HDL can be confusing, and it may be tough to remember which is good. It may help to keep in mind that LDL stands for low density, while HDL is high density, and in this case, low is bad and high is good. Or as our cardiologist acquaintance says, “Low has got to go…”
By keeping low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL, you are increasing your overall health, and also reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke. By combining exercise and weight loss with healthful eating, you significantly increase your overall well being and keep your cholesterol at healthy levels.
When you have your cholesterol tested, your doctor will probably explain your numbers in terms of total cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels. Ideal HDL is 60 mg/dL or higher. Your ideal LDL level should be 100 mg/dL or lower. Your doctor may also give you the relationship between LDL and HDL as a ratio. The lower the ratio of LDL over HDL, the better.
It’s important to have your cholesterol levels checked often. Research in recent years has shown that high cholesterol is becoming a serious health problem in younger and younger people. Doctors now say even teenagers and 20-somethings should have cholesterol and blood pressure checked. This is because most kids these days eat a fatty, cholesterol-rich diet and get very little exercise. Therefore, hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol are becoming health threats for younger people much more so than they were in years gone by.
