HDL Cholesterol 2B Definition

High-density lipoproteins include HDL 2B, a substance that removes excess cholesterol from the body and assists in the fight against heart disease.

Identification

• Classified as either low-density (LDL) or high-density (HDL), lipoproteins carry cholesterol through blood and the body.

Significance

• Physicians view LDL as a "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries while HDL helps to eliminate blockage. "About one-third to one-fourth of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL," according to The American Heart Association.

Function

• HDL scours the blood as a sort of "cleaning company" by picking up cholesterol deposited in arteries by LDL and transporting it to the liver for elimination.

Classification

• Scientists divide HDL into 5 sub-classes; 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, and 3c. The dominant importance of HDL 2B resides in its' exclusive ability to dispose of cholesterol.

Benefits

• The term "reverse transport" refers to this removal process. "When levels of total HDL are greater than 60, levels of HDL 2b predominate and efficient reverse cholesterol transport takes place," says cardiologist Dr. Armughan Riaz. "This protects the coronary arteries from disease. The other subclasses of HDL are not capable of reverse cholesterol transport."