The negative effects of high cholesterol are well-documented, but too little cholesterol can cause many negative health effects as well. Cholesterol is a type of fat that plays many roles in metabolism and maintains cellular structure, according to former Ohio State University nutrition professor Gordon Wardlaw. Your liver produces 90 percent of your daily cholesterol and the rest comes from your diet.
Function
Cholesterol is the major component of your cell membranes, bile acids and sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. Your cell membranes regulate what goes in and out of the cells and balance the amount of fluids between the cells' internal fluid environment and external environment. Nerve cells need cholesterol to conduct nerve impulses to communicate with your muscles, organs and connective tissues. Cholesterol in bile acids transports fat and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K from your intestines to your bloodstream, according to Wardlaw.
Interaction
Low cholesterol in your body decreases the structural integrity of your cell membranes, especially in your nerve cells. Although low cholesterol conditions are rare in the United States and many industrialized countries, some people who take cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, experience muscle weakness, pain and cramps, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine. This is caused by weak cell signaling between nerve cells from a lack of cholesterol.
Recommended Intake
The American Heart Association recommends that you keep your cholesterol level below 200 mg per deciliter, which equates to about four grains of sand per half cup of blood. Although there is no lower limit on your cholesterol level, keep your high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, level above 50 mg per deciliter and your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, level below 100 mg per deciliter.
Sources
If your cholesterol is low and you are experiencing muscle weakness, you can obtain cholesterol from animal sources of food, such as beef, poultry, fish, dairy products and eggs, according to Wardlaw. You also can get cholesterol from processed foods such as cookies, cakes, donuts and fried foods.
Prevention
Strength training can reverse the effects of muscular weakness. Exercises such as weight training, calisthenics and sprinting can improve your strength and reverse the affects of muscular weakness. Ask your physician if you can reduce your cholesterol-lowering medications or find an alternative to the medication if you experience severe muscular weakness, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine.
References
- "Perspectives in Nutrition"; Gordon Wardlaw; 2002
- "American Heart Association"; Cholesterol Levels
- Annuals of Internal Medicine; Muscle Abnormalities in Four Patients Taking Statins To Treat Unfavorable Cholesterol Levels
