The Dark Side of ‘Good’ Cholesterol
By Denny Watkins, Men's Health
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is known as the
“good guy,” scrubbing “bad” cholesterol from your arteries before it can harden.
But what if it misbehaved?
Researchers at Harvard University found that a certain protein
molecule can prevent HDL from doing its job. It’s called apolipoprotein C-III
(apoC-III), and it can attach to both HDL and certain types of LDL
cholesterol.
Out of 51,000 men and women in the study, those who were in
the top fifth of apoC-III levels had a 60 percent greater risk of developing
heart disease. The finding could explain why some drugs that raise HDL haven’t
seemed to have much benefit in preventing heart attacks.
People with the most apoC-III tend to be overweight, says
study author Frank Sacks, M.D. Preliminary data from another study Sacks is
working on indicates that losing weight can lower your apoC-III counts and keep
your HDL from turning to the dark side.
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