VLDL Cholesterol (very low density lipoprotein) is a lipoprotein subclass assembled in the liver from cholesterol and apolipoproteins. It is then converted in the bloodstream to low density lipoprotein (LDL). VLDL is prone to accelerate atherosclerosis, and is elevated in a number of diseases and metabolic states. It is composed mostly of cholesterol, with little protein. VLDL (and LDL) is often called “bad cholesterol” because it deposits cholesterol on your artery walls. VLDL transports endogenous triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol and cholesteryl esters. It functions as the body\’s internal transport mechanism for lipids.
Why is this a problem?
Reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol has long been the goal of medications and other cholesterol-lowering treatments, but researchers are finding that other lipoproteins appear to be involved in developing heart disease. These include some very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) – which are types of non-HDL cholesterol. Studies have shown that the general category of “non-HDL” cholesterol, is a strong predictor of heart disease in people who have not yet developed signs of heart problems.