Excess good cholesterol can also be harmful to health

Cholesterol, including good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, is a fatty substance found in all parts of the body and can constrict and clog blood vessels, causing cardiovascular disease. Over the years, good cholesterol has been known to help reduce the risk of heart disease, while bad cholesterol has been known to increase the risk of heart disease. However, new studies have shown that too much "good" cholesterol is no longer good.

What is good cholesterol?

Good cholesterol, also called high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, gets rid of bad cholesterol, absorbs excess cholesterol, and transports it back to the liver where it eliminates it from the body.

HDL cholesterol levels above 40-60 mg / dL are considered good. The NHS recommends that the HDL cholesterol level should be more than 1 mmol / L but not more than 1.5 mmol / L.

High levels of good cholesterol are still not good

HDL cholesterol can indeed help reduce the risk of heart disease because it can get rid of excess cholesterol from the body, while low HDL cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart disease. However, high HDL levels do not provide benefits and can even lead to premature death.

A study from University of Pittsburg 225 healthy women in their 40s concluded that elevated HDL cholesterol levels could lead to worse plaque, which increases the risk of stroke or heart attack in these women.

A larger study that studied the relationship between kidney function and HDL cholesterol levels in more than 1.7 million men from October 2003 to September 2013 showed that high HDL cholesterol levels, as well as low HDL cholesterol levels, were associated with increased risk. premature death among participants.

Not that you have to avoid good cholesterol

HDL cholesterol has become known as the "good" cholesterol, and is beneficial for reducing the risk of heart disease. However, if your HDL cholesterol level is higher than normal, you should discuss it with your doctor and start avoiding other risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking. Too much HDL can cause you to die prematurely.

For now, it's still good if your HDL cholesterol level is higher than your LDL cholesterol level. But keep in mind that anything in excess is not good, so make sure your cholesterol levels, the good (HDL) and the bad (LDL), are both within normal limits.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.