# New insights into the role of HDL in heart disease risk of T1D **URL:** \ **Category:** T1 Research\ **Created:** [January 26, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337 "2018-01-26T02:49:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Katers87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@Katers87](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Katers87)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2018, 8:34pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/21 "2018-04-04T20:34:38Z")
I was looking into healthy cholesterol levels because of another post, and I came across an interesting interview that discussed why someone’s HDL may be too high: [https://www.healthcentral.com/article/can-my-hdl-be-too-high](https://www.healthcentral.com/article/can-my-hdl-be-too-high). Made me think of this thread. "HDL can become damaged or “spent” at which point it no longer does any of these good things and instead actually contributes to cardiovascular disease, even winding up with LDL in plaque. There are three main reasons this happens. -The failure to provide adequate nutrition to re-energize HDL after it has been out working. This leads to a lack of apoA-I and an HDL cell membrane that has lost functionality. -Oxidative damage to apoA-I, caused by inflamed and overheated immune cells. This means individuals with inflammatory health issues will have poor quality HDL. The greater the inflammation, the worse the HDL quality. -Sugar glycation of HDL, rendering it “cemented” so that it can’t work. The more uncontrolled the blood sugar, the worse the HDL problem." I thought it was interesting, so I figured I’d share. I think I might ask for an expanded lipid profile next time I go to the doctor. Maybe they can determine if I have “good” HDL or “bad” HDL. My HDL levels are decently high at 84. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/22 "2018-04-05T02:49:39Z")
> [@](#): > > _ **Dr. Shelby-Lane:** The main function of HDL is to help soak up excess cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels and carry it to the liver, where it breaks down and is removed from the body in the bile._ > > _Measuring for particle size and particle number is the best way to tell if HDL cholesterol levels are safe/healthy. This involves testing and it is usually measured under the guidelines of an “expanded lipid profile.” The usual and optimal range for HDL is (40 for men and 50 for women). Expanded lipid profiles are necessary to look at particle size. The laboratory test for HDL actually measures how much cholesterol is in the HDL, not the actual amount of HDL in the blood._ > [@Katers87](#): > > I think I might ask for an expanded lipid profile next time I go to the doctor. Ask for an NMR-lipoprofile. NMR stands for “Nuclear Magnetic Resonance” Here is some information on it: > **[NMR LipoProfile Test Online | Discounted | Request A Test: Request A Test](https://requestatest.com/nmr-lipoprofile-testing)** > > Looking for an affordable NMR LipoProfile test? At Request A Test, we offer discounted NMR LipoProfile tests available online. Contact us to order! And here is a sample one that is on the LabCorp website. [https://www.labcorp.com/sites/testmenu/files/123810.pdf](https://www.labcorp.com/sites/testmenu/files/123810.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Katers87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@Katers87](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Katers87)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/23 "2018-04-05T14:31:57Z")
The sample test report is really cool. I’d love to get one of those. ---
**Author:** ![lh378](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/lh378/32/601_2.png) [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/24 "2018-05-15T13:26:09Z")
Definition of hyperlipidemia may vary depending on the country. I’m sharing the article below because I have a relative in Taiwan and I was inquiring as to whether his doctor recommended statins or any other cholesterol lowering medication. He is a type 2 diabetic. This article appears to define hyperlipidemia as total cholesterol greater than or equal to 240. (It’s a long article) > **[2017 Taiwan lipid guidelines for high risk patients](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0929664616304302)** > > In Taiwan, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia increased due to lifestyle and dietary habit changes. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-… ---
**Author:** ![Sam](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/sam/32/10595_2.png) [@Sam](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/25 "2020-12-12T04:59:11Z")
Just got my lab referal (after hoops I’ll not even get into) from my new primary doc Only thing I’m not familiar with is “apo-b” which after some googling means **Apolipoprotein B** which apparently is associated with lipids and cardiac risk hand in hand with lipids… That’s all I know about it and it’s from a 19 second Google endeavor. Do any of you have this checked, does it factor into decisions? Has it been explained to you by your doctor to your satisfaction? ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/26 "2020-12-12T18:49:48Z")
It is just another marker, more specific that just the general LDL level. A general LDL number does not reflect how many of the LDL particles are small and dense. Those are the ones that are more likely to cause cardiac problems by building up plaque in the artery walls. The thing you want in your total LDL number are big fluffy particles, and fewer of the small dense particles. The ApoB level helps indicate that. It might be one of those things where your doctor did it because you are a diabetic over X years of age. Or it might be because of previous results. It is a useful test. It is another thing to look at and consider in the overall picture of heart health. If he tells you that it needs to be lowered, we can talk about things you can work on. ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/eric/32/9209_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/27 "2020-12-12T20:33:02Z")
Here is a nice reference that sums it up in the first few sentences and also in the summary sentence. > **Abstract** > > Small dense low-density lipoprotein (sd LDL) is more atherogenic [_tending to promote the formation of fatty plaques in the arteries_] than large buoyant (lb) LDL, which is relatively high in particle number (as estimated by apolipoprotein [apo] B) and poor in cholesterol (C) content. Because recent epidemiological studies have shown that serum apo B is a stronger predictor of the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) than LDL-C, we assumed that this strong predictive power of apo B for CHD is attributable to a close association with sd LDL concentration. > … > These results suggest that apo B is superior to non-HDL-C in reflecting a potent atherogenic lipoprotein, sd-LDL, which may explain a potent predictive power of apo B for CHD. **Link:** > **[\[Small dense LDL concentration is closely associated with serum...](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16872005/)** > > Small dense low-density lipoprotein (sd LDL) is more atherogenic than large buoyant (lb) LDL, which is relatively high in particle number (as estimated by apolipoprotein \[apo\] B) and poor in cholesterol (C) content. Because recent epidemiological... ---
**Author:** ![Jen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jen/32/4777_2.png) [@Jen](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jen)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 9:14pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337/28 "2020-12-13T21:14:07Z")
I’ve never had this test before this summer, but did have it checked then. My result was actually slightly below the lower end of the reference range, which I assume is good. My doctor seemed to think it was a great result. [Previous page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/new-insights-into-the-role-of-hdl-in-heart-disease-risk-of-t1d/3337.md?page=1)