‘Good’ cholesterol may not be good for everyone as previously thought, study finds - The Independent

“Good” cholesterol may not be as effective in uniformly predicting the risk of heart disease across adults from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, according to a new study.

The research, published on Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, suggests lower levels of high density lipoproteins or HDL cholesterol – often called “good” cholesterol – were associated with increased risks for heart attacks in white but not black adults.

Earlier studies shaping perceptions about “good” cholesterol levels and heart health were conducted in the 1970s through research with a majority of white adult study participants, said scientists, including those from the Oregon Health & Science University, in a statement.

From the data, scientists could assess how cholesterol levels from Black and white middle-aged adults without heart disease who lived throughout the US overlapped with future cardiovascular events.

Participants with increased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides had modestly increased risks for heart disease, aligning with previous study findings.

But it was found that HDL cholesterol levels only predicted increased cardiovascular disease risk for white adults.

Instead of having more HDL, the quality of HDL’s function – in picking up and transporting excess cholesterol from the body – may be more important for supporting heart health.

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