The Bad Cholesterol

It's bad for you, so don't increase it!

When too much LDL (bad) cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Together with other substances, it can form plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can narrow the arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result.

In simple terms, we can think of LDL as sludge on the motorways of the body (arteries), and too much sludge blocks the vital blood from flowing around. A quick way to remember that LDL is the bad cholesterol is L for LDL, L for "Lousy cholesterol".