HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) transports cholesterol in the blood. It is also considered good cholesterol because it can absorb excess cholesterol from LDL cholesterol and vascular plaques and transport this cargo back to the liver. There, cholesterol is used as a building material for the formation of bile acids.
The LDL-HDL ratio provides information as an arteriosclerosis risk index: If it is less than two, the risk of arteriosclerosis is low. If the quotient is above four, there is a high risk of arteriosclerotic vascular damage and secondary diseases such as coronary heart disease (CHD).
Cholesterol levels can usually be reduced through lifestyle changes. In addition to maintaining a healthy body weight, it is worth paying attention to a balanced and healthy diet with lots of fruit and vegetables and consciously consuming fewer animal-based foods. Furthermore, exercise and avoiding nicotine cause total cholesterol levels to fall and the ratio of LDL to HDL to improve.
