{"id":87,"date":"2016-07-13T11:48:00","date_gmt":"2016-07-13T11:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/"},"modified":"2024-04-16T11:05:13","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T11:05:13","slug":"hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"HDL and LDL. Do you know the difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"toc\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong style=\"color: #c01c7b;\">Table of Content<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q1\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>HDL and LDL cholesterol <\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q2\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Is Cholesterol totally bad for the body?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q3\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>What is the major difference between LDL and HDL?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q4\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>What is the normal range of HDL Cholesterol?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q5\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>How to Improve HDL Cholesterol? <\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/family-and-general-medicine\/hdl-and-ldl-do-you-know-the-difference\/#q6\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em>Frequently Asked Questions <\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2 id=\"q1\"><strong>HDL and LDL cholesterol<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p class=\"caps\"><strong>HDL stands for High-Density Lipoproteins and LDL stands for Low-Density Lipoproteins. These proteins are carriers of cholesterol.<\/strong> Cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, they get transported to the bloodstream by these lipoproteins, more specifically HDL.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"q2\"><b>Is Cholesterol totally bad for the body?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The answer is NO! Cholesterol, in fact, is quite useful for the body when it is maintained within the limits. People often get tensed when they hear the word cholesterol. Not many people actually know the uses of cholesterol.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0Cholesterol can be used to synthesize certain important steroid hormones in the human body, like androgen and estrogen in the reproductive parts.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0They are also a precursor to Vitamin D. The term precursor is used because Cholesterol forms one of the bases for the production of Vitamin D.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0It is required to maintain the membrane fluidity of various organelles which is one of its important functions.<\/p>\n<p>These are just a few of the many functions of cholesterol. Now that you know the good effects of cholesterol, let\u2019s talk more about their carriers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"also-read\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/general-medicine-diabetology\/the-difference-between-cholesterol-and-triglycerides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">The difference between Cholesterol and Triglycerides<\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"q3\"><strong>What is the normal range of HDL Cholesterol?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0LDL cholesterol is considered as a bad cholesterol as it contributes to plaque. Plaque is a thick dense substance that blocks the arteries and leads to various heart issues like atherosclerosis or can cause a <a href=\"https:\/\/kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/cardiology\/is-it-heartburn-or-a-heart-attack\/\">heart attack<\/a> or may cause a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/centers-of-excellence-and-specialties\/stroke\">stroke<\/a>.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0HDL cholesterol, on the other hand, is considered to be a good cholesterol. HDL plays a vital role in the transportation of LDL back to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/Centers-of-Excellence-and-Specialties\/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease\">liver<\/a> where it is broken down into smaller components. These smaller components are relatively harmless.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0The level of HDL should be higher than LDL for a healthy life.<br \/>\nThe main structural difference between HDL and LDL is the amount of cholesterol and protein composition. 25% of LDL is protein but 50% of HDL is protein. Since proteins have a greater density than fat the name \u201cHigh Density\u201d arises.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"q4\"><strong>What are the appropriate levels of HDL?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>HDL cholesterol levels greater than 60mg\/dl (milligram per deciliter) is quite good and can carry out its functions effectively. If its level falls below 40mg\/dl the functioning gets impaired and may lead to various heart diseases as discussed above.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"q5\"><strong>How to Improve HDL Cholesterol? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u2022\u00a0Doing Aerobic Exercises can greatly help in increasing the levels of HDL. Exercise for 40-60 minutes regularly to keep your heart pumping.<br \/>\n\u2022 Stop Smoking. The tobacco present in cigarettes is a major cause for the reduction of\u00a0 HDL.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0Maintain good Food habits like taking olive oil, peanuts and canola oils. These oils have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that improve the HDL\u2019s abilities.<br \/>\n\u2022\u00a0Nuts and Fish like salmon have Omega-3-fatty acids in them that have the ability to convert LDL into HDL. Make sure you have good quantities of this food to maintain your body in good shape.<\/p>\n<p>Now that you know what cholesterol really is and what good and bad it does to you maintain a correct approach to the cholesterol intake to keep your heart smiling.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Tips to manage Cholesterol levels\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i-ZR-AJs0w8\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/\">Visit our website.<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"q6\"><strong>Frequently <\/strong><strong>A<\/strong><strong>sked Question<\/strong><strong>s<\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What is HDL cholesterol?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>HDL cholesterol, or High-Density Lipoproteins, is the &#8220;good&#8221; cholesterol that helps remove harmful cholesterol from the bloodstream.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>What is LDL cholesterol?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>LDL cholesterol, or Low-Density Lipoproteins, is the &#8220;bad&#8221; cholesterol that can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>What is the difference between HDL and LDL?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>HDL removes cholesterol from the bloodstream, while LDL can contribute to artery blockages.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>What is the normal range of HDL Cholesterol?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>HDL cholesterol normal range is above 60mg\/dl, with levels below 40mg\/dl increasing heart disease risk.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>How to Improve HDL Cholesterol?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Exercise regularly, quit smoking, and eat foods like olive oil, nuts, and fish rich in healthy fats.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.<\/p>\n<p>Chennai \u2013 044 4000 6000 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Cantonment \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Heartcity \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Trichy \u2013 Tennur \u2013 0431 4022555 \u2022 Maa Kauvery Trichy \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Kauvery Cancer Institute, Trichy \u2013 0431 4077777 \u2022 Hosur \u2013 04344 272727 \u2022 Salem \u2013 0427 2677777 \u2022 Tirunelveli &#8211; 0462 4006000 \u2022 Bengaluru &#8211; 080 6801 6801<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Updated on\u00a0<strong>23<\/strong><sup>rd<\/sup> Feb 2024<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Table of Content HDL and LDL cholesterol Is Cholesterol totally bad for the body? What is the major difference between LDL and HDL? What is the normal range of HDL<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":466,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-and-general-medicine"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10208,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions\/10208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kauveryhospital.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}