Can blood cholesterol levels be too low?

✍ Scribed by John Stanley

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 111 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0956-666X
• DOI: 10.1002/lite.201000070

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Like glucose, cholesterol is an essential cellular nutrient and like glucose, blood cholesterol levels need to be kept within limits. The deleterious effects of hypercholesterolaemia on the risk of cardiovascular disease are well established and have resulted in the widespread prescription of statins to lower blood cholesterol levels and hence lower the risk of developing the disease. However, the possible deleterious effects of hypocholesterolaemia on mental health are less well studied and while there is enough evidence to cause concern, there is not enough evidence to be sure that these deleterious effects really exist. More research is urgently needed and in particular studies which investigate the possibility that LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol have different effects on mental health as they do on cardiovascular health.