The new study finds that rather than helping to inhibit the formation of dangerous plaque in the arteries, HDL cholesterol may increase its buildup during menopause. This process is known as hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, and can lead to heart trouble.
“This was surprising,” said lead researcher Samar El Khoudary, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh.
“We know that the good cholesterol is supposed to protect women,” she said. And, before menopause, good cholesterol does help protect against heart disease, El Khoudary said.
But during menopause, HDL cholesterol seems to add to the plaque buildup. She explained. “This was independent of other factors such as body weight and levels of bad cholesterol,” El Khoudary said.
It’s not clear why good cholesterol may turn bad, she said. “There are many biological changes that happen to women during the menopausal transition,” she said.
Among these changes is the addition of fat to the abdomen and around the heart. “This could put women in a state of chronic inflammation that could change the good cholesterol,” El Khoudary suggested.
