LDL Bad Cholesterol Is Not Bad After All

All these years, we've been made to believe that there is good and bad cholesterol. We've been told to keep our HDL [good cholesterol] high, and our LDL [bad cholesterol] down.

Recent studies, however, seem to indicate that there is no bad cholesterol after all. Every cell membrane of our body is made up of millions of cholesterol molecules, and it is the LDL's function to bring cholesterol to each and every cell.


One very recent study, conducted at Texas A & M University, and published in the Journal Of Gerontology last May 6,2011, highlights LDL cholesterol's important role in our body. 59 study participants, aged 60 to 69, who were all in pretty good shape but not active, were made to undergo vigorous physical workouts.

The outcome of the study could be very interesting, especially to people who are losing muscle mass as a result of the aging process, a condition known as sarcopenia. After age 40, we lose muscle mass at the rate of 5% every ten years. This is evident in the sagging flesh of our geriatric population.

In the study, it was found out that those participants who had the highest rise in blood levels of bad HDL cholesterol were the ones who gained the most muscle size and strength.

Vigorous workouts break down the muscles. It is during the rest phase, on off days from exercise, that the body heals and repairs the damaged muscles. It is also during this repair process that the muscles grow.

Our body tissues need cholesterol, which is delivered by LDL, to heal and grow. That's why, the more LDL there is in our blood, the more cholesterol for healing and growth our muscles receive.

The researchers further explained that another role of LDL cholesterol is to give a warning sign to the body that something is amiss: dangers which should be addressed, maybe smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, or unhealthy lifestyle.

Now, if you're taking statins to lower your cholesterol levels, the good benefits derived from high levels of LDL in our blood are blocked, and healing will take a longer time.

Cholesterol is not a villain. It is a natural part of our of system and plays a role in our defense mechanism. See what dangers lurk at different levels of cholesterol. [read: Low Cholesterol Level - A Danger Sign?]