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The Dangers of Low Cholesterol

The Dangers of Low Cholesterol

When doctors talk about cholesterol levels in a patient, it is usually because they fear that levels are too high.

High cholesterol can lead to long term health problems,
including strokes and heart attacks.

However, low cholesterol can be a health problem as well.
Although this condition, officially called
hypocholesterolemia, is very rare, and studies are still
being done to confirm the health risks to low cholesterol.

If you suffer from low levels it is important to research
and talk to your doctor about methods to bring your
cholesterol levels back to normal.

The dangers of low cholesterol many factors can contribute to low levels of cholesterol in the body. Anything lower than 160 mg/dL is considered abnormally low and should be carefully monitored by doctors.

Some of the major contributors to hypocholesterolemia
include hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid glands), liver
disease, malabsorption (little or no nutrient absorption in
the small intestines), celiac disease, malnutrition, and
manganese deficiency.

A small percentage of people also have very low levels of
cholesterol in the blood steam due to abetalipoproteinemia,
a rare genetic disease.

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

Another such disease that causes low cholesterol levels in
the blood stream is hypobetalipoproteinemia, another rare
genetic disease caused by a mutated gene. Low cholesterol,
lastly, can be caused if medications used to treat high
cholesterol are used improperly.

The dangers of low cholesterol although it is uncommon, there is a growing concern in the medical community about this kind of condition. In general, low cholesterol goes hand in hand with poor health. Thus, mortality rates rise with low cholesterol.

Some common problems caused by low cholesterol may include depression, respitory diseases, cancer, and hemorrhagic stroke.

However, studies are still being done to test
theories about these problems and their link to low
cholesterol levels in the body.

Links to depression have been especially researched
recently, and so if you suffer from depressoin, be sure to
have your doctor check your cholesterol levels as well.

Elderly patients should also be especially mindful of low
cholesterol.

Overall, as with most nutrients in the body, cholestrol
levels should be controlled but not limited. Unless you
suffer from one of the aforementioned rare genetic
diseases, you can control your cholesterol mainly by
watching what you eat.