high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

HDL cholesterol helps to clear cholesterol from the blood. That is why HDL is often referred to as "good" cholesterol. HDL does not cause arteriosclerosis.

You can think of HDL as a kind of "clean-up truck": it takes cholesterol back to the liver. In the liver, this cholesterol is broken down and then leaves your body via bile and feces.

There are usually two types of cholesterol in your blood: HDL and LDL. LDL is often referred to as "bad" cholesterol because it can stick to the inside of blood vessels. HDL, on the other hand, helps to clean them up.

Cholesterol isn't all bad. Your body needs it. Your liver produces cholesterol, and you also get cholesterol from food.