HDL And LDL Cholesterol – What Are The Differences? tagged: , , , , ,

HDL And LDL Cholesterol – What Are The Differences?

Posted by in Health & Fitness


Have you ever wondered what HDL and LDL stands for on your lipoprotein profile? They’re different types of cholesterol and serve different purposes. Along with triglyceride they form your total cholesterol level and should be kept at their desired levels for you to stay healthy.

One’s health is not just numbers and figures on a sheet of paper. Cholesterol is not something that will make you sick and kill you the soonest it can, but should be interpreted as a sign of an underlying cause that, on the other hand, will cause problems later down the road. If your doctor tells you that you should work on your cholesterols, you should take that advice.

In the United States this measure is described in mg/dL, and should be kept below 200 mg/dL for healthy people. If you’re a member of the very high or high risk groups, you have to track this number even more closely. A lipoprotein profile, according to the American Heart Association should be taken every five years once you’re above 20. Above 35 for men and 45 for women means that you should also pay close attention to the HDL:LDL ratio and other figures.

In case your total cholesterol comes back between 200 and 240 mg/dL, you should be warned that there might be a problem with either your diet or circulatory system. With an adequate amount of daily exercise you can lower LDL cholesterol, raise HDL cholesterol levels, and minimize the most significant threats to your health.

LDL needs to be kept below 100 mg, and the HDL should be at least 40 for men and 50 for women. HDL helps carry away the clogs building up on walls of arteries. LDL is often dubbed “bad” cholesterol and should be kept at a healthy level.

Your doctor will tell you more about the ways to achieve a better balance between HDL and LDL, but as a rule of thumb, if you are smoking you should give it up. It not only allows the blood pressure to stay closer to the norm, but digestion and respiratory problems can be lifted all at once as well. A change in your diet helps a lot. If your family has a history of heart condition, and your figures come back slightly off balance, you should take it as a notice.