High HDL cholesterol protects heart even when LDL levels are high, new study shows

A new study shows that high levels of "good" HDL cholesterol protect against heart disease and stroke no matter what the blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol are.

In a major trial reported in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the incidence of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems was 40 percent lower in the participants who had the highest HDL cholesterol levels, regardless of their LDL cholesterol levels, U.S. News and World Report reported.

The study's author, Dr. Philip Barter of the Sydney, Australia Heart Research Institute said, "The fundamental important message of the paper is that if you take HDL high enough, LDL doesn't matter."

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is involved in the formation of fatty plaques that can block an artery. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol prevents the formation of plaque.

"The fundamental important message of the paper is that if you take HDL high enough, LDL doesn't matter," said study author Dr. Philip Barter, director of the Heart Research Institute in Sydney, Australia.

LDL cholesterol is involved in the formation of fatty plaques that eventually can block an artery; HDL cholesterol prevents the formation of those plaque.

"What we desperately need is a new drug to raise HDL levels," Barter said.

The only substance known to raise HDL levels is niacin, a member of the B-vitamin family.

Apparently we don't really need a new drug; we just need doctors to recommend niacin to their patients with cholesterol and heart issues.

Complementary Medicine | Natural Health | Nutrition | Herbal Supplements | Nutritional Supplements | Dr. David Ross, ND, CNHP | DrDavidRoss.com