LDL = Low Density Lipoprotein(s) HDL = High Density Lipoprotein(s)
LDL is the bad, HDL is the good. Actually, it's all the same molecule really, because what it is is a transport mechanism. Lipoproteins are little lipid (fat) and protein membranes that run around your blood vessels transporting fat and cholesterol. The LDL are the lipoproteins that have a lot of fat (hence being low density), and their function is to transport that fat into your fat cells. They usually end up depositing cholesterol in the lining of your arteries and other bad places. The HDL are the lipoproteins that have deposited the fat and are going back to your liver to pick up more. Being "emptier", they tend to pick up cholesterol from the lining of your arteries and take it back to your liver, where it gets turned into nifty things like bile acids to help you digest fats.
Incidentally, this is how high fiber in your diet helps lower cholesterol, because the fiber binds those bile acids, preventing them from being reabsorbed by the stomach lining, thus forcing your liver to make more from cholesterol that is stored in your body.
In short, LDL bad, HDL good. Fiber also good.
This, at least, is what I remember from about a year of biochem. I'm sure our medical geeks out there will correct me if I made any really big blunders.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-04-16 10:31 am (UTC)HDL = High Density Lipoprotein(s)
LDL is the bad, HDL is the good. Actually, it's all the same molecule really, because what it is is a transport mechanism. Lipoproteins are little lipid (fat) and protein membranes that run around your blood vessels transporting fat and cholesterol. The LDL are the lipoproteins that have a lot of fat (hence being low density), and their function is to transport that fat into your fat cells. They usually end up depositing cholesterol in the lining of your arteries and other bad places. The HDL are the lipoproteins that have deposited the fat and are going back to your liver to pick up more. Being "emptier", they tend to pick up cholesterol from the lining of your arteries and take it back to your liver, where it gets turned into nifty things like bile acids to help you digest fats.
Incidentally, this is how high fiber in your diet helps lower cholesterol, because the fiber binds those bile acids, preventing them from being reabsorbed by the stomach lining, thus forcing your liver to make more from cholesterol that is stored in your body.
In short, LDL bad, HDL good. Fiber also good.
This, at least, is what I remember from about a year of biochem. I'm sure our medical geeks out there will correct me if I made any really big blunders.