What Are the Dangers of Low Cholesterol?

Because high blood cholesterol is one of the leading danger signs for coronary artery disease, most people are worried about how to lower their cholesterol. However, there also are health dangers from having too little cholesterol, and these have nothing to do with the functioning of your heart. So you need to find that middle range between having cholesterol that is so high that it can lead to coronary artery disease and so low that it can lead to impairment of brain functions.

Measurements

• The measurement of blood cholesterol levels tells your doctor how much fat is in your blood. The measurement is in milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL. Your measurement should be less than 200 mg/dL. Borderline high is considered between 200 and 239 mg/dL. High is considered 240 mg/dL and above. If your measurement is high or borderline high, you'll need to lower your cholesterol level. How much lower than 200 is it safe to go?

Source

• Though most people try to control their cholesterol by modifying their diets, only one quarter of blood cholesterol comes from that source. The remaining three-quarters is produced in the liver. Cholesterol is a natural substance that the body needs. If you begin a low-cholesterol diet, the body will react by having the liver synthesize more of it. If you are consuming too much cholesterol, your body will stop producing it or at least produce minimal amounts.

Functions

• Cholesterol is a structural antioxidant and is essential in helping cell membranes maintain their shapes. It is needed for proper brain function and in manufacturing bile, metabolizing fat-soluble vitamins and maintaining hormone balance, including sex hormones. Cholesterol reacts with UVB rays to help make vitamin D.

Risks of Low Levels

• At least one study found that men whose cholesterol levels fall below 150 had four times the risk of a cerebral hemorrhage as men who had cholesterol numbers above 190. A heart study found that people with cholesterol levels below 200 had lower scores on verbal fluency, attention and concentration, and abstract reasoning than those with numbers above 200. Very low cholesterol has also been associated with dementia, depression and aggressive behavior. It is considered a risk factor for cancer and suicide.

Pregnancy Risks

• Pregnant women with low blood cholesterol have a higher chance of delivering prematurely. Infants need cholesterol for brain development. They will get much of it from their mother's milk, but if their mothers have low cholesterol, they might not get as much as they need.

Causes

• Causes of low cholesterol are hyperthyroidism, liver disease, malabsorption, inadequate absorption of nutrients from the intestines, manganese deficiency and malnutrition.