Commonly used vitamin could help produce 'good' cholesterol, researchers find

(Medical Xpress) -- Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels can keep heart disease, heart attack and stroke away. And a commonly used vitamin could help by increasing production of “good” cholesterol in the body, researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville have found. The findings were published recently in the journal Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental.

Americans' Trans Fat Levels Dropped Over Last Decade: Report

The amount of trans-fatty acid -- also known as trans fat, which raises levels of "bad" cholesterol" and lowers levels of "good" cholesterol -- has decreased in the blood of the U.S. population over the last decade, according to a new government report.

'Good' HDL cholesterol can also be 'bad'

Generally speaking, a distinction has been made so far between “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol. LDL contributes to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, while the “good” HDL protects against them. Now, however, experts have discovered that the anti-inflammatory effect of HDL was not detected in patients on renal dialysis.

Experts disagree on screening children for a disorder tied to high cholesterol

One in 500 kids has an inherited disorder that causes high levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol that may require medication to control. However, since the problem doesn’t create observable symptoms, as many as half of these kids don’t know they have the condition. To help identify these children, late last year an expert panel convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommended ...

Monounsaturated fats boost "good" cholesterol

Jenkins suggested that people replace some of their highly refined carbohydrates -- like white bread and processed snack foods -- with monounsaturated fats from nuts, avocados and olive oil.