Low density lipoprotein, or LDL for short, is a substance found within the body that is used to transport
cholesterol to tissues that need it. LDL is also referred to as "bad" cholesterol.
Understanding Cholesterol and Lipoproteins
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is made in your body.
It is also in some foods that you eat. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly.
In order to get to all of your cells, cholesterol needs to travel through the bloodstream. But, because cholesterol is a fat, it separates from the blood similar to the way that oil separates from water.
To keep this from happening, proteins form a shell around the cholesterol, making a "cholesterol complex." It is then released into the bloodstream and travels to where it needs to go.
A protein that is linked to cholesterol to form this cholesterol complex is called a "lipoprotein." There are several different types of lipoproteins. When talking about cholesterol, though, we normally talk about two types of lipoproteins. One is good and the other
can be bad. You have probably heard about "good" cholesterol and "bad" cholesterol. What is interesting is that for both
good cholesterol (
HDL) and
bad cholesterol (LDL), the cholesterol is the same; what makes it good or bad is the type of lipoprotein it is inside.
LDL: The "Bad" Cholesterol
Normally, LDLs transport
cholesterol from your liver and deliver it to the tissues that need it. But if you have a lot of LDLs left over after all of your tissues have been taken care of, the LDLs will "let go" of the extra cholesterol while traveling through your blood. This cholesterol can build up on the walls of your arteries (blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to other parts of the body). This buildup of cholesterol is called
plaque. Over time, plaque can cause narrowing or
hardening of the arteries, called
atherosclerosis.
Understanding Your LDL Numbers
LDL is the main source of damaging buildup and blockage in the arteries. Therefore, the more you have in your blood, the greater your risk of
heart disease. But how much is too much?
In general, the higher your LDL level and the more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of developing heart disease or other
effects of high cholesterol. Treatment for
high cholesterol (also known as hypercholesterolemia or hyperlipidemia) focuses on lowering your LDL level enough to reduce your chances of developing these conditions. There are two main ways to lower your LDL cholesterol:
