LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is a combination of fat and protein that delivers cholesterol and other fats to the cells in your body. If you have too much LDL, plaque may form on your artery walls, increasing your risk for a heart attack or stroke. The Framingham Cardiovascular Institute recommends LDL levels below 100, but according to Mayoclinic.com, if you have a low LDL level it might increase your risk for other health problems.
Cancer
According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, there was a risk for cancer associated with low LDL levels. The American Heart Association said that a study from the NIH reveals that men and women with low LDL had increased numbers of deaths from lung cancer, stroke and other causes compared to subjects with higher LDL levels.
Preterm Birth
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, preterm delivery occurred with 12.7 percent of mothers who had low total cholesterol compared to 5 percent of mothers in the study who had mid levels of total cholesterol. The goal of this study was to find out whether low total cholesterol levels could cause preterm delivery or birth defects. The results were found in white mothers only.
Depression
According to a study conducted by the Duke University Medical Center with 121 healthy female subjects, the participants with cholesterol levels below 160 mg scored higher when measured for depression and anxiety levels. The psychologist at the university who did this study, Edward Suarez, says that "women with naturally low cholesterol could benefit from raising their cholesterol through healthy dietary measures, like consuming more fish or fish oil."
References
- Framinghamheartstudy.org: Coronary Heart Disease (10-year Risk)
- Mayoclinic.com: Cholesterol Level: Can it be too Low?
- HealthandAge.com: Too Low LDL-Cholesterol Levels?
- American Heart Association: Low Serum Cholesterol: Hazardous to Health?
- Heart-disease-bypass-surgery.com: Low Cholesterol Levels May Be Linked to Depression, Anxiety
