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June 6, 2005
Low Serum Cholesterol Levels Are Dangerous to Your Health
Drug companies got a recent boost in sales when the National Cholesterol Education Program published new cholesterol guidelines, which dictate that almost everyone needs cholesterol-lowering drugs. According to the guidelines, the optimal cholesterol levels are below 130 for LDL and below 200 for total cholesterol.
The new recommendations advise that you take steps to even further lower your cholesterol levels if you have any risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Risk factors include a history of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and smoking. This you-can-never-be-too-rich-or-have-too-low-a-cholesterol-level approach backfires when you look at the consequences of very low cholesterol levels. Studies have linked pushing cholesterol levels below 160 to depression and low testosterone levels.
In 2000, Dutch researchers found that men with low cholesterol levels had an increased risk of depression. Cholesterol may affect the metabolism of the mood-altering substance known as serotonin. Other studies have found that serotonin levels are lower in men with low levels of cholesterol. It appears that cholesterol levels below 160 may be low enough to put men at risk.
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Posted by james at June 6, 2005 5:41 AM