The lowdown on LDL and HLD
LDL is often called bad or lousy cholesterol -- for good reason. If you have too much floating in your bloodstream and sticking to the walls of your blood vessels and arteries, your arteries stiffen, and you can end up with blockages that cause a heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery or kidney disease, dementia and/or depression.
Lowering LDL levels with dietary changes, exercise and medications such as statins when it registers above 70 mg/dL is heart smart. It's also smart to take a multi-vitamin/mineral (half in the morning, half at night), psyllium fiber, and 900 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acid supplements a day.
But calling HDL "good" cholesterol -- well, that's more complicated. It turns out that HDL comes in different shapes and sizes. Some forms of HDL do round up excess LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream and artery walls and send it back to your liver, where it's rendered harmless, but others do quite the opposite -- moving cholesterol out of the liver and into the bloodstream. And recent research shows that for more than 98% of Americans, increasing your HDL levels doesn't improve heart health or reduce the risk of heart attack.
To protect and improve your heart health, focus on achieving a healthy LDL level (some folks may want to aim for below 50 mg/dL if they're at high risk for cardiovascular problems) by eating a plant-based diet, exercising regularly, managing stress, sleeping six to eight hours a night, and adding medications if needed. And for the most accurate info on staying heart healthy, check out the free newsletter at 4YOUngevity.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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