What is the Difference Between Non-HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol

The key difference between Non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol is that Non-HDL cholesterol includes LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and other types of bad cholesterol such as VLDL (very-low-density lipoprotein), ultra low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides, while LDL cholesterol includes only low-density lipoprotein, the bad cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that occurs in the blood. It can also be found in some food items such as eggs, meat, and dairy. Some types of cholesterol are essential for health as they help to make hormones and vitamin D. However, too much cholesterol can lead to health problems like heart disease and stroke. There are three main types of cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) helps remove other forms of bad cholesterol from the bloodstream. The other two types are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol. In addition to these types, total cholesterol may include other cholesterol types, such as ultra-low-density lipoproteins (chylomicrons) and triglycerides.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Non-HDL Cholesterol 
3. What is LDL Cholesterol
4. Similarities – Non-HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol
5. Non-HDL Cholesterol vs. LDL Cholesterol in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Non-HDL Cholesterol vs. LDL Cholesterol

What is Non-HDL Cholesterol?

Non-HDL cholesterol can be calculated by subtracting the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol value, also known as “good” cholesterol, from the total cholesterol value. Therefore, Non-HDL cholesterol contains all bad types of cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol may include LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and other types of bad cholesterol such as VLDL (very-low-density lipoprotein), ultra-low-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides.

The optimal level of non-HDL cholesterol is less than 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 3.37 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). A higher level of non-HDL cholesterol means a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Many doctors now believe that determining the non-HDL cholesterol level may be more beneficial than calculating your cholesterol ratio when detecting the risk of heart disease.

What is LDL Cholesterol?

LDL cholesterol is also known as the bad cholesterol. This is because it collects in the walls of blood vessels. LDL cholesterol raises the chance of health problems such as heart attack or stroke. LDL cholesterol comprises a tiny blob of an outer rim of lipoprotein with a cholesterol center.

The general guidelines for LDL in adults in the United States indicate: less than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is the optimal level, 100-129 mg/dL is near or above optimal, 130-159 mg/dL is the borderline high, and 160-189 mg/dL is very high. Moreover, very high levels of LDL may increase health problems such as coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and heart diseases, including chest pain (angina), heart attack, and stroke.

What are the Similarities Between Non-HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol?

• Non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are both bad cholesterol.
• Both types increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Both types can be increased in the blood due to eating a lot of food such as eggs, meat, and dairy.
• The levels of both types can be determined through blood tests.

What is the Difference Between Non-HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol?

Non-HDL cholesterol includes LDL cholesterol and other types of bad cholesterol such as VLDL, ultra-low-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides, which raise the risk for heart disease and stroke, while LDL cholesterol includes only low-density lipoprotein bad cholesterol, which increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. Thus, this is the key difference between non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, the optimal level of non-HDL cholesterol is less than 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 3.37 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). On the other hand, the optimal level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

The infographic below presents the differences between non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Non-HDL Cholesterol vs LDL Cholesterol

Cholesterol is usually found in food sources such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese. If people have too much cholesterol in the blood, it can lead to plaque formation in the walls of arteries. This plaque build-up is known as atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. HDL, LDL, and VLDL are the different types of cholesterol. HDL is good cholesterol, while LDL and VLDL are bad cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are both bad cholesterol. Non-HDL cholesterol is the remaining bad cholesterol when subtracting the high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or good) cholesterol number from the total cholesterol number. On the other hand, LDL cholesterol includes only the low-density lipoprotein bad cholesterol. So, this is the key difference between non-HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Reference:

1. Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D. “What Is Non-HDL Cholesterol?” Harvard Health.
2. “LDL Cholesterol: What It Is & How to Lower It.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “High-density lipoproteins” By Rfch – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Lipoprotein metabolism” By Npatchett – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia