HDL cholesterol is known as the ‘good’ cholesterol. A study in the late 1970s/early 80s known as the Framingham Study determined that higher levels of HDL cholesterol were protective against heart disease. This is one of those studies foundational to many cardiovascular health prevention ideas still around today.[ref] The general consensus seemed to be that HDL levels above 60 mg/dl are ‘good’ and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
What does HDL do?
HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. It is a transport vessel for cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids built around an APOA1 protein. It usually is responsible for moving cholesterol and fats out of the cells. HDL cholesterol, then, is the cholesterol in the HDL particles.[ref]
However, a few recent studies show that you can have too much of a good thing, and HDL levels over 116 mg/dL for men or 135 mg/dL for women cause an increase in the risk of heart disease.[ref]
HDL cholesterol also plays a role in the immune system, with higher levels of HDL associated with better outcomes from parasites and bacterial infections.[ref]
HDL cholesterol levels are considered to be about half due to genes (with the rest due to diet, infection, etc.).[ref][ref]
HDL Cholesterol Genotype Report
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Lifehacks:
If you want to raise your HDL levels, there are several dietary interventions you could try.
Olive Oil:
High-phenolic olive oil was found in a study to increase HDL cholesterol.[ref] How do you find out what the phenolic content of your olive oil is? This article explains that high phenolic content olive oil will have a peppery aftertaste that makes you want to cough.
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Genga, Kelly Roveran, et al. “CETP Genetic Variant Rs1800777 (Allele A) Is Associated with Abnormally Low HDL-C Levels and Increased Risk of AKI during Sepsis.” Scientific Reports, vol. 8, no. 1, Nov. 2018, p. 16764. www.nature.com, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35261-2.
Gordon, T., et al. “High Density Lipoprotein as a Protective Factor against Coronary Heart Disease. The Framingham Study.” The American Journal of Medicine, vol. 62, no. 5, May 1977, pp. 707–14. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(77)90874-9.
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