Pocket Guide to Cholesterol

• Apo A : Protein subunit on your HDL, “good cholesterol,” that aids in removing bad cholesterols from your body. We prefer higher levels of this.

• · Apo B : Protein subunit on of your LDL, “bad cholesterol”. It transports the bad cholesterol and allows it to attach to a cell an allow the cholesterol in. We prefer lower levels of this. High amounts is associated with risk of heart attacks and strokes.

• · Chylomicron : ultra low-density lipoproteins that have triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins in them and assembled in the gut. They start the process of transporting these ingredients into the tissue an send cholesterol to the liver.

• · HDL : A high density lipoprotein, lipid carrier, that are smaller particles often called “good cholesterol” since it brings cholesterol back to the liver to be broken down and reused for other purposes. It carries a favorable Apo A protein. We favor high amounts of this.

• · LDL : Low density lipoprotein, lipid carrier, coined “bad cholesterol”. It mostly transports cholesterol, and has Apo B protein that can cause harm to the artery.

• · Lipoprotein A : Subunit found on the Apo B portion on LDL (“bad cholesterol”). Has genetic underpinnings and can cause higher risk of heart attacks and strokes by damaging the arteries and promoting clot formation.

• · Lipoprotein : General term for a carrier protein that is bound to cholesterol to carry it through the bloodstream.

• · Phospholipid : Main ingredient in our cell walls that have a fatty portion and a water-soluble portion.

• · Total Cholesterol : Total amount of cholesterol that is measured in its packaged state. Needed to make our hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, testosterone, vitamin D and several more.

• · Triglycerides : fats stored in a three-pack, hence the word “tri”-glyceride. They are found in fat cells, and get there when you eat too many carbs and have excess fuel than the body needs. Hormones will release these into the blood between meals. We want low amounts of these fats.

• · VLDL : Very low density lipoprotein, triglyceride carrier primarily, also considered “bad cholesterol” even though the make-up is highest in fatty acids/triglycerides.