Eek! Good cholesterol can raise heart attack risk also

Although we've known that it's good to have healthy amounts of "good" cholesterol in our bodies while banishing "bad" cholesterol, new research shows that even good cholesterol can contribute to heart disease in a way. Sounds weird, yes?

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol can exist in defective forms that can actually increase the risk of a heart attack. Generally, HDL cholesterol helps remove plaque from the arteries, which alleviates the possibility of heart disease.

The researchers did not state that the consumption of Omega-3 oils and supplements (which have HDL in them), which have been found effective in boosting heart health, would now be considered detrimental -- just that certain forms of HDL were dangerous.