Skip to main content

Oxidized LDL

Meaning

Oxidized LDL (OxLDL) refers to Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol particles that have undergone significant chemical modification, primarily through a reaction with free radicals, resulting in extensive lipid peroxidation and structural changes to the apolipoprotein B component. This chemically modified form of cholesterol is considered substantially more atherogenic than native LDL, playing a central, pathological role in the initiation and subsequent progression of atherosclerotic plaque formation within the arterial walls. Hormonal imbalances, particularly states of insulin resistance and chronic low testosterone, are often closely associated with increased systemic oxidative stress that actively promotes the formation of this damaging OxLDL.