Bad cholesterol 'not all bad'

Bad cholesterol, thought to contribute to many cardiovascular conditions, is not all bad, according to researchers, which could alter the diet of some older people who may be looking to find a care home.

Scientists from Texas A&M University discovered that participants who gained the most muscle mass after exercise also had the most bad cholesterol in their system, according to the research published in the Journal of Gerontology.

Cholesterol is made up of bad cholesterol, or LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and good cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein).

While HDL helps remove cholesterol from the arteries, LDL tends to build up in the walls of arteries, leading to heart disease and heart attacks.

This comes after research from Barts and The London Medical School revealed that age could be used as an independent risk factor for stroke or heart disease.

Using age as a risk factor for these cardiovascular conditions could cut costs and medical procedures without reducing effectiveness.

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