Transporting Fat: Lipoproteins and Health

VLDLs released by the liver contain both fat and cholesterol. As VLDLs deliver fat to the body, they eventually become LDLs, which supply the body with cholesterol.

Excess cholesterol from the body is taken up by HDLs, which return it to the liver.

Both LDLs and HDLs are rich in cholesterol. High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL correlate with heart disease.

LDL is sometimes known as “bad cholesterol” and HDL as “good cholesterol,” even though they are lipoproteins and cholesterol is a molecule.

Cholesterol itself is neither good nor bad. It is the ratio of LDL to HDL that can be healthy or unhealthy.

A diagram in which the cholesterol pool leaves the liver in the form of V-L-D-L, which is converted to L-D-L before entering the body. H-D-L then passes from the body back to the liver. — Cholesterol transport from the liver as VLDL and LDL to the body and HDL from the body to the liver