Low Serum Cholesterol Harmful to Some People

The Truth About Low or Very Low Blood Cholesterol

Oct 21, 2008 Alicia Richardson

Western health authorities urge population-wide lowering of cholesterol levels, yet heart disease remains the leading cause of death.

If high plasma cholesterol levels means increased cardiovascular risks, then low cholesterol levels connote health benefits. Unfortunately, eleven studies failed to support this supposed association. Moreover, seven additional investigations reported that high serum cholesterol was not a predictor of all-cause mortality.

The Risks of Lowering Serum Cholesterol

In 1994, Krumholtz and others reported that elderly people with low blood cholesterol died twice as often from heart attack than old people with high serum cholesterol.

Other studies, reviewed by Golombe in 1998, showed strong associations between low serum cholesterol and nightmares, anxiety, depression, suicide, and homicide.

Steegmans and colleagues (2000) reported that men with low serotonin levels also have low serum cholesterol levels, poor emotional control, and suicidal ideation. He reasoned that due to cholesterol's biologic roles in membrane changes, myelin enzyme function, absorption and transfer of fat-soluble vitamins, toxins and hormones, synthesis, re-uptake, or metabolism of neurotransmitters- cholesterol deficiencies may result in abnormal brain activity and behaviour.

Low serum cholesterol is also linked with increased mortality risks associated with gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases (Jacobs 2003), an association noted by Perez-Guzman (2005) that is increased infection risks including tuberculosis.

In 2003, Ravinskov stated that persons with low serum cholesterol have weaker immune systems. They have fewer lymphocytes, total T-cells, helper T-cells, and CD8 cells than persons with high LDL cholesterol. Also, monocytes from hypercholesterolemic people have greater phagocytic activity, than monocytes from normal people. Phagocytic activity refers to the ability of monocytes to "engulf" bacteria, viruses, foreign bodies, or noxious substances such as oxidized cholesterol.

Additionally, persons with congenital low serum cholesterol (Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome) suffer from frequent and severe infections. The condition improves after dietary cholesterol supplementation.

Optimum serum cholesterol levels

• Total cholesterol: 4.0-5.2 mmol/L (154-200 mg/dL)
• LDL cholesterol: 1.6-3.4 mmol/L ( 62-131 mg/dL)
• HDL cholesterol: 0.9-2.00 mmol/L ( 3.7 -77mg./dL)
• CHL-HDL Ratio: 0.00-4.00 ( 0.00 - 154 mg/dL) * HIgh HDL, low LDL means lower risk of heart disease

Bottom line: Lowering serum cholesterol through dietary, drug, or regular physical exercise or combinations of these interventions is not risk free. Those who are at greatest risk of low or very low serum cholesterol includes the elderly, infants and pre-adolescent children, pregnant and lactating mothers, persons with congenital low cholesterol syndrome, and those predisposed to mood disorders.

References:

1. Krumholtz et al. "Lack of association between cholesterol and CHD mortality and morbidity and all cause mortality in persons older than 70 years." JAMA 1990;272:1335-1340.
2. Golombe BA "Cholesterol and Violence: Is There a Connection?" Ann Intern Med 1998 Mar 15;128(6):478-487
3. Ravinskov U "HIgh cholesterol may protect against infection in atherosclerosis." Quarterly J Med 2003;96:927-31

The copyright of the article Low Serum Cholesterol Harmful to Some People in Health Field is owned by Alicia Richardson. Permission to republish Low Serum Cholesterol Harmful to Some People in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Vincent_Willem_van_Gough.002.jpg