10 Differences between LDL and HDL !

Table of Contents

Before knowing about differences between HDL and LDL, let us know, What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is the fat like substance present in our body.
Cholesterol is important in making cell membranes, hormones, Vitamin D etc.
Cholesterol are also necessary to produce bile acids, which help the body digest fat and absorb important nutrients.
Liver and intestine produce 80% of cholesterol and remaining 20% is obtained from food
As cholesterol cannot mix with water and cannot move freely in the blood, it gets attached to the protein, making a complex called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins are made up of fats and proteins. There are two main forms of lipoprotein; -LDL and HDL

Some major differences between LDL and HDL are:

LDL	HDL
LDL stands for Low Density Lipoprotein	HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein
Also known as BAD CHOLESTEROL, because it transports cholesterol to our arteries, where it may accumulate in the artery walls	Also known as GOOD CHOLESTEROL, because it transports cholesterol to our liver so that the cholesterol can be expelled out from the body
Size is 18- 25 nm	Size is 5- 12 nm
Approximately 50 percent of the weight of an LDL particle is cholesterol and only 25 percent is protein	High-density lipoprotein particles, on the other hand, consist of 20 percent cholesterol by weight and 50 percent protein
Low-density lipoproteins contain proteins called B-100 proteins	HDL particles contain mostly A-I and A-II proteins.
Density of LDL:1.019- 1.063. It is relatively less dense than HDL	Density of HDL is: 1.063-1.210. It is relatively denser than LDL
They deliver cholesterol to tissue	They deliver cholesterol from blood and deposit to liver
Higher amounts of LDL leaves cholesterol to artery walls causing atherosclerosis	Higher amounts of HDL is important as it lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease
LDL particles are considered to be more pro-atherogenic	HDL are be anti-atherogenic
LDL particles are more susceptible to oxidation	HDL particles have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, and anti-apoptotic properties
To help lower LDL levels: Avoid foods high in saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, and excess calories in general Increase exercise and physical activity Maintain a healthy weight	HDL should be as high as possible. It is often possible to raise HDL by: Avoiding saturated fat intake Exercising for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week Decreasing body weight