Low Cholesterol: Risks & What Healthy Levels Really Mean

Conventional wisdom teaches that high cholesterol is bad and low cholesterol is good. While, in most cases this holds true, new research shows that extremely low cholesterol levels may not be healthy.

Function

• Cholesterol is a fat found in the bloodstream, which is essential for good health. There are two types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Both types are carried by the blood.

Bad cholesterol

• Low-density lipoproteins carry fat to the cells for building cell walls. Too much LDL in the bloodstream can result in plaque deposits on blood vessel walls. If the deposits get too thick, the result is a blockage. A high level of LDL is considered bad.

Good cholesterol

• High-density lipoproteins carry fat away from the cells and to the liver, where it is cleaned out of the blood. Most health professionals consider high HDL levels to be good because they help to keep the cardiovascular system clean and healthy.

Significance

• Mayo Clinic Cardiologist, Dr. Thomas Behrenbeck reported a link between low HDL cholesterol in women and an increased risk of heart disease. A study cited in the Journal of the American College of Cardiologists associated extremely low LDL levels with an increased risk of cancer.

Considerations

• When overall cholesterol levels are low, the result is a decrease in serotonin levels. A study conducted by the Duke University Medical Center linked extremely low cholesterol and depression.