Can your cholesterol be too low

And there have been reports of a slightly increased risk of osteoporosis and brain bleeding in patients treated with high doses of statin medications. Well-known side effects in people who use statin medications include muscle aches and a slightly increased risk of diabetes, especially when high doses of medication are used.

Whether these risks are due to the statin medications themselves or the lowering of LDL is not entirely clear. Therefore, an extremely low LDL by itself does not appear to be dangerous in these unusual cases. The benefit was consistent regardless of the medications used to lower cholesterol. The JAMA Cardiology meta-analysis looked at studies in which LDL was lowered with a statin drug, which works by lowering LDL production in the liver, or with a different type of medication, including ezetimibe Zetia , which interferes with absorption of LDL from the intestine, or PCSK9 inhibitors, newer injectable medicines that increase uptake of LDL from the bloodstream into the liver.

Although statin medications themselves have been linked to side effects, especially at high doses, it appears that extremely low LDL concentrations are not responsible for side effects.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. Allow me to nit-pick. LDL may be a vehicle for carrying cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood stream, but it is not cholesterol. To whom it may concern: Anecdotal of course, but after an athletic life and with no risk factors for CAD this marathon runner underwent an emergency CABG at 71, five years ago.

My total is now 88 and my LDL is The process that affects cholesterol levels could affect cancer, but more research is needed on the topic.

One other concern about low cholesterol involves women who may become pregnant. If you tend to have low cholesterol, talk with your doctor about what you should do in this case. For people with high LDL cholesterol, there are often no symptoms until a heart attack or stroke occurs.

Depression and anxiety can spring from many causes, including possibly low cholesterol. Symptoms of depression and anxiety include:. Risk factors for low cholesterol include having a family history of the condition, being on statins or other blood pressure treatment programs, and having untreated clinical depression. The only way to properly diagnose your cholesterol levels is through a blood test. Total cholesterol is determined by adding LDL and HDL and 20 percent of your triglycerides, which are another type of fat in your bloodstream.

Your low cholesterol is most likely being caused by something in your diet or physical condition. By taking blood samples and undergoing a mental health evaluation, suggestions for your diet and lifestyle may be made to treat your low cholesterol.

If your cholesterol level is affecting your mental health, or vice versa, you may be prescribed an antidepressant. If that is the case, your prescription dose or medication may need to be adjusted. To keep your cholesterol levels balanced, get frequent checkups. Maintain a heart-healthy diet and an active lifestyle to avoid having to take statins or blood pressure medications.

Be aware of any family history of cholesterol problems. And finally, pay attention to symptoms of anxiety and stress, especially any that make you feel violent. Despite its association with heart disease and obesity, cholesterol is essential to making certain vitamins and hormones, and it also plays a part in digestion and the metabolization of nutrients. The problem is that most Americans consume way too much through high-fat, high-carb diets.

This only adds to the cholesterol that is already naturally produced by the liver. A low-fat, low-carb diet, by contrast, can help maintain a higher concentration of HDL which the body uses to excrete LDL from the body and a lower concentration of LDL which can clog arteries and form plaque.

Other blood tests are used to measure triglycerides , another form of fat, and total cholesterol , the total amount of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides in a blood sample. From the standpoint of heart health, the total cholesterol level can never be too low. This, in turn, increase your risk of atherosclerosis hardening of the arteries , heart attack, and stroke.

HDL functions as an antioxidant, preventing arterial damage caused by other lipids. If the HDL is low a condition referred to as hypoalphalipoproteinemia , the loss of the antioxidative effect may not only promote but accelerate plaque formation. There are many reasons why your HDL may be low. Chief among these is a high-carbohydrate diet. Other factors associated with low HDL levels include:.

While a low-fat diet is not seen to contribute significantly to chronically low HDL levels, malnutrition can. While it would be fair to assume that a low LDL is a good thing, there are rare circumstances in which chronically low levels may increase your risk of certain diseases.

LDL is a lipoprotein, whose role it is to deliver lipids to every cell in the body. Cholesterol is a critical component of cell membranes, serves as a brain antioxidant, and is used by the body to create the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Chronically low LDL levels may impair brain and hormonal activity and increase the risk of hypobetalipoproteinemia , a condition linked to depression, cirrhosis, preterm birth, hemorrhagic stroke, and certain types of cancers.

Similarly, abnormally low LDL levels during pregnancy may trigger hormonal imbalances that contribute, at least in part, to premature birth. With that being said, hypobetalipoproteinemia is often caused by cancer, liver disease, severe malnutrition, and other wasting disorders. It may be in some cases, but not others. It is often difficult to manage low cholesterol with anything other than diet or lifestyle.

There are currently no pharmacological agents able to raise HDL with the exception of hormone replacement therapy in people who have gone through menopause.

Beyond that, the best way to get your cholesterol within the normal limits is to:. Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

While the current U. It is important to note that dietary cholesterol is derived only from animal sources, including meat, poultry, shellfish, dairy products, and egg yolks. To this end, cholesterol is not a "danger" in and of itself. It is the type of cholesterol-containing foods we eat that influence our risk of CVD and other cardiovascular-related illnesses. Looking to start a diet to better manage your cholesterol?

The authors note that, given advances in cholesterol-lowering drugs, physicians will encounter patients with such low LDL-C levels more frequently.

While clinicians should always be vigilant, five-year follow-up data suggest treatments that produce very low LDL-C levels are generally safe and reduce both heart attack and stroke risk. Their Name required. Their Email required.