HDL may not be so good

6 new and surprising findings about cholesterol

These latest findings could change the way we look at cholesterol

By Kat Tancock

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HDL may not be so good

The common wisdom is that HDL is the "good" cholesterol and LDL the "bad" – levels of both are measured in blood tests. Higher HDL levels, it was thought, were indicative of a lower risk of heart disease. However, a recent studysuggests that while that might be true, it's not a simple causal relationship: rather than a decrease or increase in HDL directly affecting health, HDL levels may be a marker of other factors instead.

Research is ongoing; in the meantime, if you're concerned about your HDL levels, talk to your doctor about how this research might affect your treatment.