What Is Low Density Lipoprotein?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance that serves as a vital building block for cells in the human body. Low density lipoproteins, or LDP, are the primary carriers of cholesterol in your bloodstream. These proteins form a case around the cholesterol, making it easy to transport through the blood.

Function

• Low density lipoproteins contain the cholesterol used to produce the outer layers of every cell in your body. They also form a component of hormones, the chemicals in your body that cause your organs to perform tasks. Typically, LDLs carry any excess cholesterol in your body to your liver for destruction by another substance known as high density lipoproteins (HDL).

"Bad" Cholesterol

• LDL is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol. This is because if your body has too much LDL, it releases its cholesterol in the blood vessels, where it builds up. The Mayo Clinic warns that accumulation of cholesterol contributes to hardening of your arteries, which has the potential to cause heart disease. For this reason, most discussion of LDL revolves around its adverse effects.

What Are Dangerous Levels?

• The American Heart Association defines dangerous levels of low density lipoproteins in your body as 160mg per dL and above. If you already have heart disease, dangerous levels are 100mg per dL and higher.

What Causes High LDL Levels?

• Factors that contribute to high LDL levels include smoking, obesity, eating too many trans- and saturated fats, lack of exercise, diabetes and hypertension, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Treatment of High LDL

• Doctors prescribe a number of medications for elevated low density lipoproteins, such as statins, bile-acid-binding resins, cholesterol absorption inhibitors, fibrates and niacin.