University of Minnesota researchers and their colleagues have found that people with higher concentrations of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL that has oxidation damage from free radicals) are much more likely to develop metabolic syndrome (TMS), a set of factors that predisposes people to conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

Oxidized LDL (a minor fraction of LDL) is more likely to stick to arterial walls, leading to atherosclerotic plaque. It hadn’t previously been associated with TMS in humans.

People with the highest levels of oxidized LDL in their blood had 3.5 times the risk of developing metabolic syndrome over five years than those with the lowest levels.

University of Minnesota News Release and JAMA and Archives Journals News Release