Can cholesterol be "too low"? : Cholesterol, Heart Disease Forum : Active Low-Carber Forums

#1 ^

Mon, Feb-04-02, 08:38

blakleys

New Member

Posts: 11

Plan: Atkins
Stats: 196/147/130
BF:
Progress: 74%

Location: Durant, OK

Can cholesterol be "too low"?

My total cholesterol count is 90 after being on the Atkins diet for 8 months. Can it be too low?

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#2 ^

Mon, Feb-04-02, 09:19

Natrushka

Senior Member

Posts: 11,512

Plan: IF +LC
Stats: 287/165/165 Female 66"

BF:
Progress: 100%

Most definitely, blakleys. Cholesterol that is too low puts you at risk for certain things, just as cholesterol that is too high does.

Quote:

When cholesterol level is low, you will get ill sooner. (1)
When cholesterol level is low, it is bad for the liver and the brain. (2) Adequate cholesterol is so essential that your body warns you with depressions if your cholesterol level is too low. The lower the cholesterol level, the deeper the depression (and the more aggressive). (3) Numerous scientific investigations have shown that the cholesterol level was clearly lower in people who attempted or succeeded in committing suicide. (4)

(1) Weverling-Rijnsburger, A.W. et al, Total cholesterol and risk of mortality in the oldest old. Lancet 1997 / 350 (9085) / 1119-1123. , Forette ,B. et al, Cholesterol as risk factor for mortality in elderly women. Lancet 1989 / 1 (8643) / 868-870. , Isles, C.G. et al, Plasma cholesterol, coronary heart disease, and cancer in the Renfrew and Paisley survey. Brit. Med. J. 1989 / 298 (6678) / 920-924. , Rose, G. & M.J. Shipley, Plasma lipids and mortality : a source of error. Lancet 1980 / 1 (8167) / 523-526.

(2) Xu, G. et al, Relationship between abnormal cholesterol synthesis and retarded learning in rats. Metabolism 1998 / 47 (7) / 878-882. , Schoknecht, P.A. et al, Dietary cholesterol supplementation improves growth and behavioural response of pigs selected for genetically high and low serum cholesterol. Nutr.1994 / 124 (2) / pag.305-314. , Hague, Z.U. et al, Importance of dietary cholesterol for the maturation of mouse brain myelin. Biosc. Biotech. Biochem. 1992 / 56 (8) / 1351-1354.

(3) Golomb BA, et al, Low cholesterol and violent crime. J Psychiatr Res 2000 Jul-Oct;34(4-5):301-9. , Hillbrand M, et al, Serum cholesterol concentrations and mood states in violent psychiatric patients: an experience sampling study. J. Behav. Med. 2000 / 23 (6) / 519-529. , Rozzini, R. et al, Low serum cholesterol and serotonin metabolism. Risk of depression is higher in elderly patients with lowest cholesterol values. Brittish Medical Journal 1996 / 312 (7041) / 1298-1299. , Delva, N.J. et al, Brain serotonin (5-HT) neuroendocrine function in patients taking cholesterol- lowering drugs. Biol. Psychiatry 1996 / 39 (2) / 100-106. , Guggenheim, C.B. & H.G. Foster Jr., Serum cholesterol and perception of anger and sadness. Psychol. Rep. 1995 / 77 (3 pt 2) / 1343-1345. , Kaplan J. et al, The effects of fat and cholesterol on aggressive behaviour in monkeys. Psychosom. Med 1990 / 52 / 226-227. , Kaplan J. et al, Demonstration of an association among dietary cholesterol, central serotonergic activity, and social behaviour in monkeys. Psychosom. Med. 1994 / 56 / 479-484.

(4) Sarchiapone M, et al, Cholesterol and serotonin indices in depressed and suicidal patients. J. Affect. Disord. 2001 / 62 (3) / 217-219. , Papassotiropoulos, A. et al, The risk of acute suicidality in psychiatric inpatients increases with low plasma cholesterol. Pharmacopsychiatry 1999 / 32 (1) / 1-4. , Kunugi, H. et al, Low serum cholesterol in suicide attempers. Biol. Psychiatry 1997 / 42 (2) / 196-200. , Kaplan, J.R. et al, Assessing the observed relationship between low cholesterol and violence related mortality. Implications for suicide risk. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1997 / 836 / 57-80. , Zureik, M. et al, Serum cholesterol concentration and death from suicide in men : Paris prospective study 1. Brit. Med. J. 1996 / 313 (7058) / 649-651. , Gallerini, M. et al, Serum cholesterol concentrations in parasuicide. Br. Med. J. 1995 / 310 (6995) / 1632-1636. , Gier, JA et al, Low serum cholesterol level and attempted suicide. Am. J. Psychiatry 1995 / 152 (3) / 419-423. , Engelberg, H. ,Low serum cholesterol and suicide. Lancet 1992 / 339 (8795) / 727-729.

You might want to get your hands on a copy of Protein Power Lifeplan by the Eades - they address the risks of low cholesterol in detail in their second book.

Here's a link to an article about low cholesterol.

Unfortunately at this time I can't seem to find very much information on what to do to raise low cholesterol. I will keep looking though.

HTH
Nat

#3 ^

Sun, Feb-10-02, 12:35

blakleys

New Member

Posts: 11

Plan: Atkins
Stats: 196/147/130
BF:
Progress: 74%

Location: Durant, OK

I have found additional information on low cholesterol levels (150 and below). Depression, aggression and an elevated risk for hemorrhagic stroke are some symptoms associated with low cholesterol. In my search for what is a healthy cholesterol level, I found that Dr. Mercola suggests

Quote:

Dr. Mercola's Report

Trying to absorb fat without bile is like trying to wash greasy dishes without soap. It does not work very well at all. I am fairly convinced that most people with low cholesterol levels are due to a dysfunctional gallbladder.

For the last two months I have been using a supplement by Biotics that called Beta TCP that has whole beet concentrate and Taurine.

These items are very effective at thinning the bile in the gallbladder. Once the bile is thinned it can flow out and not remain in the gallbladder as sludge so it can emulsify the fat so we can absorb it.

I found a place to order it at MyVits.com .

Additionally, another similiar interesting report can be found DigitalNaturoPath.com .

"The following are the most common symptoms: steady, severe pain in the middle-upper abdomen or below the ribs on the right; pain in the back between the shoulder blades; pain under the right shoulder; nausea; vomiting; fever; chills; jaundice; abdominal bloating; intolerance of fatty foods; belching or gas; indigestion." This except was taken from DigitalNaturoPath.com's definition of the gallbladder. Since I do experience some of these symptoms, I tried a liver and gallbladder flush with promising results. Directions for doing a flush along with some interesting pictures can be found on CureZone.com . I used the "Are you stoned?" version. However, I did get a little sick which suggests parasites so I am now doing a parasites cleanse which comprises of cloves, wormwood and black walnut that I found at a local health food store. I am waiting for these results which are supposed to start in about 2 or 3 days. I'm crossing my fingers.

I know this is a gross topic but I feel the information I am finding is making sense. I believe my doctor is incorrect in saying "the lower the better" when it comes to double digit cholesterol levels. I'm just posting it so others can evaluate it and make their own decisions for their health.

#4 ^

Sat, Mar-23-02, 08:23

Lisa N Lisa N is offline

Contributing Member

Posts: 12,028

Plan: Bernstein Diabetes Soluti
Stats: 260/-/145 Female 5' 3"

BF:
Progress: 63%

Location: Michigan

I have a friend whose cholesterol consistently runs under 100 and his doctor keeps telling him to eat all the eggs, butter and cheese he can get his hands on to try and get it up a little. Low cholesterol can be just as bad for you (if not worse) than high cholesterol. Just goes to show you....extremes on either end of the spectrum can be bad.