Most of the fat in the blood is carried in small packages called lipoproteins. These packages can be divided into:
A common cholesterol test provides an answer to the above and the total amount.
VLDL and LDL – “bad cholesterol”
“Bad cholesterol” is usually called LDL. However, it is vital and only dangerous if you get too much of certain parts of it. It has been shown that the smaller and denser the LDL particles are, the easier it becomes oxidized and trapped in the damaged vessel wall.
VLDL
The fat you eat is transported first to the liver, where it is compacted into large containers called VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein). These are released into the blood and bind to the cells intermittently in the body. VLDL is produced in the liver. VLDL-C contains the highest amount of triglycerides compared to HDL and LDL cholesterol, which makes VLDL a risk factor that can lead to coronary heart disease.
HDL – “good cholesterol”
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the packaging that can pick up excess cholesterol from the body and transport it back to the liver (the opposite of LDL). High levels of HDL lower the risk of heart disease significantly. We speculate that it is because it can take away fat and cholesterol stored in the container walls through small LDL. In healthy individuals, about thirty percent of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL.
