Since long, we have been hearing that levels of ‘good cholesterol’ are good for heart health. People with high levels of HDL are less likely to suffer heart attack. On contrary, bad cholesterol or LDL is bad for the heart health and people with higher levels are more likely to suffer heart attack.

However, researchers suggest that there are no evidences, which can prove that alone high levels of HDL can save one from heart attacks or even other factors, including lifestyle medical, play a role in that.

In order to understand the concept better, researchers from Harvard Medical School, conducted a thorough study, in which they initially identified the genes, which were responsible for increasing the levels of HDL and then determined what consequences the heart had to face, in case the genes function was altered.

The HDL levels were tested in different participants, including those who had suffered heart attack. The complex study results suggested that an influence on these HDL cholesterol genes left no effect or put the heart health into risk.

The researchers concluded: “There is no direct relationship between HDL cholesterol and coronary heart disease and, therefore, that other factors must be involved”. The findings flout the belief that higher HDL levels lower the chances of heart attack.