Complex of lipids (fat) and proteins that picks up cholesterol in the blood and carries it to the liver. Exercise increases the amount of HDL in the blood.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a kind of lipoprotein, composed of protein and fat, which transports lipids through the blood. Elevated levels of HDL can assist in guarding against atherosclerosis (the accumulation of fatty deposits on the walls of arteries) because it removes cholesterol from the bloodstream and carries it to the liver for processing.