are my cholesterol levels too low?

[martinez3783]

For insurance purposes i had a lipid panel and when i got the results they were way lower than my husband
Tc  128
Hdl  68
Ldl 53
Triglycerides  34

does anyone know if this could be caused by malnutrition?  
Or are this levels in the normal range
Thanks

[50goingon25]

Outstanding...Keeping the total below 150 should prevent the development of heart disease.

[Flycaster305]

Your blood tests are similar to mine, and I got a high five from my Cardiologist.  That being said, I'm 70 years old and have a history of very aggressive heart disease, you are a young man.  I would very definitely talk to your doctor about the low cholesterol blood test, losing weight without trying is always a concern.  I would ask for a re-test.

[Red_Star]

Yes your total cholesterol is far too low. Hypocholesterolemia is defined as below 160 mg/dL or 4.1 mmol/l. The all cause death rate is higher in individuals with cholesterol levels lower than 180 mg/dL (4.6mmol/L).

Possible causes of low cholesterol are:

Statin drugs
Hyperthyroidism
Adrenal insufficiency
Liver disease
Malabsorption
Malnutrition
Abetalipoproteinemia
Hypobetalipoproteinemia
Manganese deficiency
Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome
Marfan syndrome
Leukemias and other haematological diseases

Dangers of low cholesterol:

Hormone deficiencies: oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, aldosterone, cortisol
Vitamin D deficiency
Depression
Weak immune system
Haemorrhagic stroke
Shorter life span
Cancer
Dementia
Premature babies, or full term babies with lower weight
Liver disease
Respiratory diseases eg: chronic obstructive lung disease (emphysema)
Decreased learning ability and intelligence
Slower visuomotor speed; how quick to react in emergency situations
Aortic dissection
Moodiness
Aggressive behavior
Violence
Suicide

[erijon]

No, not really. Cholesterol is produced by your body based on what it needs with only 10% coming from what you eat so at most malabsorption would only affect that 10%.

Jon

[martinez3783]

doing some research i came across that but i remembered my gi doctor did check my thyroid levels back in august amd they were within normal range
Tsh  1.990
T4  5.6
T3  32
Free thyroxine index  1.8
For the last year i.ve been dealing with chronic right uppet quadrant pain after gallbladder removal im schedule to see another gi doctor pretty soon do y think i should mention to him the cholesterol results or should i ignore it
Do y know if low cholesterol levels are caused by some type of malabsorption?

[erijon]

I wouldn't think it's due to malnutrition, but any unexplained weight loss of more than 5% - 10% of your original body weight needs to be looked into. Having said that, your low cholesterol and weight loss could be symptoms of another condition. It may be a good idea to be checked for hyperthyroidism. The thyroid controls your metabolism which determines how your body uses stored fats as energy. Is also can drive your cholesterol numbers down as your metabolism increases and your body weight drops. This condition is easily controlled with meds.

Have you discussed this with your doctor? It may be a good place to start.

Hope this helps,

Jon

[martinez3783]

Thaks for your reply
Im not sure if this numbers are normal for me i dont take any meds for cholesterol but i have been losing weight without trying and loosing dress sizes thats why i was concerned of this being related to malnutrition
Any idea?
Thanks

[erijon]

Welcome and thanks for your question. Your numbers look great, I wouldn't be concerned. They are on the low side, but mine have been that low and my cardiologist was fine with my numbers as well. Quick question, are these normal for you or are you on cholesterol lowering meds?

Nice job!

Jon