Explain the so-called good and bad cholesterol

Question

Explain the so-called good and bad cholesterol?

Answer 1

Lipoproteins are complexes made up of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and proteins. The lipoproteins present distinct densities according to the relationship among their protein and lipid quantities as lipids are less dense than proteins. Low-density lipoproteins (or LDL) are such with a low protein/lipid relation; high-density lipoproteins (HDL) have a high protein/lipid relation; another group is much low-density lipoproteins (or VLDL) with very low protein/lipid relation. LDL is termed as “bad cholesterol” since it transports cholesterol from liver to the tissues and therefore induces the formation of atheroma plaques within blood vessels, a condition termed atherosclerosis (do not perplex with arteriosclerosis) which can lead to rigorous circulatory obstructions such as acute myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents and thrombosis. HDL is termed as “good cholesterol” as it transports cholesterol from the tissues to liver (to be removed with the bile) and elevation of HDL blood level decreases the risk of atherosclerosis. (Or VLDL transforms into LDL subsequent to losing triglycerides in the blood).