What
Is HDL Cholesterol?
HDL Cholesterol
HDL
or High density lipoprotein, is a substance found
within the body that is used to transport cholesterol.
HDL is also known as "good cholesterol."
HDL
is the protein package that carries 20% to 30% of
the cholesterol in most people's
blood. Unlike LDL packages, which are loaded with
cholesterol, HDL packages contain mostly protein.
HDL is known as good cholesterol because it acts
as your body's garbage collector for cholesterol.
Here's how.
- HDL
removes excess cholesterol from your blood and
returns it to your liver.
- Your
liver converts the excess into bile acids.
- Bile
acids remove more cholesterol from your body by
helping cholesterol dissolve in bile.
- When
bile acids and bile pass out of your body as part
of your digestion of food, the cholesterol passes
out, too.
