Knowing About Our Cholesterol

The waxy substance in our bodies known as cholesterol exists primarily in two basic forms, HDL and LDL. HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is typically spoken of as the good cholesterol, while LDL, or low density lipoprotein, is the unwanted kind of cholesterol.

LDL generally conveys cholesterol from the liver throughout the body and, when too much is circulating in a person's bloodstream, it begins to eventually build up on the inside surfaces of the arteries that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it creates plaque in the body, and that is a thick, solid deposit that can plug up the arterial passageways; this is the disease which is known as atherosclerosis.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there is HDL, which is considered to be the good form of cholesterol, since higher levels of it are believed to be protective against heart attacks in people. It is thought that HDL returns cholesterol to the liver, where it can be