HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) is casually referred to as the "good" cholesterol, in contrast to the so-called "bad" LDL (low-density lipoprotein). Although a high proportion of HDL is recognised as beneficial to health, what happens if the HDL cholesterol level is too high?

 

Too much HDL is more than 60 mg/dL, too little is less than 40 mg/dL. People whose HDL cholesterol level is between 40 and 60 are therefore within the normal range. If the HDL level is slightly above 60 mg/dL, this is not yet dangerous to health. At what point HDL becomes dangerous is not precisely defined, but many doctors agree that the blood should not contain more than 80 mg/dL HDL.

In general, more women have an elevated HDL level than men. The tendency to elevated HDL is partly genetically determined, but is of course also influenced by environmental factors. Influencing factors include alcoholism, oestrogen replacement therapy, extreme endurance sports, niacin or statin treatments and smoking. Smoking reduces the HDL level; if you stop smoking, it often skyrockets.

Highly elevated HDL levels are associated with very low LDL levels, although the reason for this relationship is not one hundred per cent clear. Because of this, many doctors believe that the tendency to have a low LDL level results in a tendency to have an elevated HDL level. It is very rare for a person to have high LDL and HDL levels.

A high HDL cholesterol level reduces the risk of heart disease. Although an elevated HDL level is considered to be mainly beneficial to health, too much HDL cholesterol can lead to the deposition of atheroma, lipids and calcium in the arteries.