What is good (HDL) cholesterol?
Good cholesterol is another lipid (fat) found in the blood. Unlike bad cholesterol, higher levels of good cholesterol are beneficial. This is because good cholesterol helps carry the bad cholesterol out of the arteries to the liver, where it is disposed of. So raising your good cholesterol helps to lower your bad cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), an HDL level less than 40 mg/dL is low for men and less than 50 mg/dL is low for women.