“Good” cholesterol can sometimes be bad, study finds

(credit: cristian)

When it comes to cholesterol, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL), the molecular packages that scavenge excess amounts of cholesterol from around the body and ferry it to the liver where it gets broken down, has long been considered “good” cholesterol. That’s in contrast to the “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol packages that deliver the waxy substance throughout the body where it’s used for the production of cellular products, such as membranes and hormones. Too much LDL—or not enough HDL—and cholesterol can end up getting stockpiled along blood vessels, which hampers blood flow and leads to coronary heart disease.

Thus, heart disease prevention efforts have largely revolved around lowering LDL and raising HDL. However, clinical trials and animal experiments that raise HDL levels have produced mixed results. And in a new study, researchers find that having naturally high levels of HDL can actually be bad.

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