Cholesterol Basics - Not all types of cholesterol are bad

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Cholesterol Cholesterol Basics

Not all types of cholesterol are bad

There are two well-known types of cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDL is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood. If there Is too much LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood, it can slowly build up on the walls of the arteries, feeding the heart and brain and can form plaques, thick, hard deposits that can clog those arteries. Because of this, LDL is nicknamed "bad" cholesterol. HDL carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body. HDL removes excess cholesterol from plaques and, thus, slows their growth. For this reason, HDL is sometimes called "good" cholesterol.

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