How Low Cholesterol Can Be Dangerous?

Idl Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels may be a warning sign of many health issues, but it does not mean that all types of cholesterol are bad. High cholesterol will lead you to serious problems like heart disease and strokes (which can be deadly) and you can lower your risks by taking medical advice to lead a healthy life. But most of us are not aware about the bad effects of low cholesterol.  

Watch this video by Dr. Stephen Sinatra about low cholesterol below:

ShentelM. Yarnell, U.S. Navy /Public domain/Wikimedia Commons

Low Cholesterol - Causes

Cholesterol is a naturally occurring type of fat that's essential for good health. It is an integral part of your cell membranes and it's also the raw material, your body uses to make steroid hormones. We need it for optimal brain health and it is vital for neurological function. There are many factors that will contribute to you have low cholesterol in your body:

·         Abetalipoproteinemia is a condition that mainly affects the Jewish population, not only causes low cholesterol levels, but also causes vitamin deficiencies and an inability to grow and gain weight at a normal rate.

·         Hypobetalipoproteinemia is a rare genetic disease that is caused by a gene defect, but it will also make the cholesterol levels lower in the blood system.

·         Low cholesterol, lastly, can be caused by the improper administration of medicines that are used to treat high cholesterol.

Bad Effects of Low Cholesterol

Low cholesterol is harmful in many ways. A person with a cholesterol level below 180 mg/dl had twice the risk of stroke compared with someone with a level of 230 mg/dl. Another study found that men with cholesterol levels below 150 mg/dl had four times the risk of cerebral hemorrhage compared with men who had cholesterol levels about 190 mg/dl.

A situation where the cholesterol level is lower than 160 mg/dL is considered abnormally low and should be carefully monitored by doctors. Low cholesterol can be the reason for hypocholesterolemia, liver disease, celiac disease, malnutrition, and manganese deficiency. Pregnant women who have very low cholesterol levels have an increased risk of giving birth to low birth weight babies. There have been many studies over the years connecting low cholesterol levels with cancer and a host of other diseases, including, hyperthyroidism, liver disease, Parkinson's, depression etc.

Low Cholesterol Treatment

It is very well established that high cholesterol is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. It is equally well established that low cholesterol or hypocholesterolemia is also a predictor of acute and chronic illnesses as well as mortality. Unfortunately, the public is largely unaware of this. While we are bombarded with advertisements for cholesterol-lowering drugs, we also need to be aware of possible problems related to low cholesterol.

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