Low Cholesterol is Not Always Good News

If you read any diet or health book, you’ll find that the villain of the piece is always cholesterol. Even though there are two kinds of cholesterol, one of which is actually good for us, this form of lipid is usually portrayed in a negative light. Cholesterol is actually bad when it is in the form of LDL or low density lipoproteins. These circulate in your blood and when in excess, form deposits on the walls of your arteries and cause blockages that could lead to a stroke or a cardiac arrest. High density lipoproteins however, are good for your heart health and boost your sense of wellbeing. In general, you cannot avoid cholesterol altogether because it is responsible for building cell membranes, converting sunlight into Vitamin D (sunlight is the best source of this vitamin which is essential for the absorption of calcium by your bones), production of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone, manufacturing bile, and the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins. But besides these obvious health benefits, there are other reasons why you don’t want your cholesterol levels to get too low. The generally accepted level of cholesterol for an average adult is 180, and if your levels are much lower than this number, it does not mean that you’re doing very well in the health department. Rather, the low number is reason to worry because people with abnormally low levels of cholesterol are prone to: • Violent mood swings • Depression because cholesterol is essential for the synthesis of serotonin, the feel-good chemical that is produced by your brain • Suicidal tendencies • Anxiety disorders • Liver disease • Lack of nutrition because their bodies are incapable of absorbing essential nutrients from their intestines • Hyperthyroidism which leads to abnormal weight gain and other complications • Deficiency of manganese which prevents wounds from healing fast • Hemorrhagic strokes which cause a blood vessel to rupture and bleed into your brain • Give birth prematurely or to low weight babies if they are pregnant women Your cholesterol levels can drop dangerously if you have liver disease because you’re an alcoholic or because you have cancer or jaundice. This is because your liver is the main producer of cholesterol in your body; foods like meat, dairy and eggs constitute external sources of lipids that are transformed into lipoproteins or what we know as cholesterol. Generally, a cholesterol reading of 180 – 200 is normal; anything higher or much lower could cause your health to suffer adversely. So start eating healthy food with healthy fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids (fish and nuts), exercise regularly, quit drinking and smoking, and maintain your body weight at the optimum for your height – this way, you don’t have to worry about your cholesterol being too high or too low. By-line: This post is written by Susan White, who writes on the topic of Becoming a Radiologist Technician . She welcomes your comments at her email id: susan.white33@gmail.com.