hypocholesterolemia?

nicolegray

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I thought I might pick the hive brain with a random question, if you don't mind. Anyone heard of hypocholesterolemia (not hyper)?

I gave blood a few weeks ago and just got free cholesterol test results in the mail. It's not broken down by type, just the overall level. Mine is 141, and the material that came with the test result simply said that any level below 200 is "desirable." So I'm all proud of myself 141 is WAY below 200, but then I looked up more detailed information online and apparently anything below 160 is considered hypocholesterolemia, which I think just means that it's low enough to be considered clinically significant.

I tried looking up information but could find almost nothing. It's associated with things like autoimmune disorders (don't have one) and anemia (obviously don't have it if they let me give blood). I'm in my mid twenties and I consider myself healthy and fit.

Anyone know anything about this? Is it one of those things where young healthy people sometimes just have low cholesterol, or is it actually worth following up on?
 

laureen227

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i think mine is at least that low! my doctor said mine was fine. did find this after a search:
Some studies have shown an association between low blood cholesterol levels (<160 milligrams/deciliter) and increased risk for depression, anxiety, respiratory illness, and stroke. However, the nature of this association is not yet understood and the current data doesn't identify low blood cholesterol as the cause of any of these conditions. Unless accompanied by the symptoms of one of the associated illnesses, low blood cholesterol is probably not a matter for major concern. (On the other hand, the link between high blood cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease is clear and strong.)
Since cholesterol is an essential component of living cells, there is a theoretical lower limit to the amount of cholesterol one's body requires, but generally the liver produces sufficient cholesterol to meet these needs. However, for those still worried about low cholesterol, increasing one's dietary consumption of mono- and poly-unsaturated fats can help raise total cholesterol by boosting HDL, or "good," cholesterol levels (therefore not increasing one's risk for heart disease). Foods containing mono- and/or poly-unsaturated fats include olive oil, nuts, avocados, safflower and cottonseed oils, and fish.
 
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nicolegray

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Ah, that's reassuring! Thanks very much. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Are you a vegetarian or vegan, by any chance? I'm a pesco-vegetarian, which I suppose could also be part of the issue.

I have a history of anxiety, though not for the past several years, so perhaps there's a connection in that area. This makes me curious about studies of causality.

I suppose when I finally get around to finding a GP on my insurance plan I'll get a regular work-up to make sure the "good" cholesterol is high enough. In the meantime, I'd actually just finished consuming a disgusting quantity of roasted cashews when I saw your response, so I guess I'm on the right track.


Thanks again!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by NicoleGray

Ah, that's reassuring! Thanks very much. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Are you a vegetarian or vegan, by any chance? I'm a pesco-vegetarian, which I suppose could also be part of the issue.
nope - as a matter of fact, i'm allergic to a whole bunch of foods - fish, chicken, broccoli, bell pepper, pineapple, almonds... the list goes on - those are the major ones, tho. however, i am a FFP [formerly fat person,
] & i had gastric bypass surgery about 2.5 years ago. my HDL & LDL were on the low side prior to surgery - triglycerides were high. since the surgery, triglycerides have dropped, cholesterol has remained lower, as well.
my last year's test showed my HDL as too low, tho - so i started taking 3 flax oil caps a day [doctor suggested fish oil, but allergic] & it's come up to a 'normal' level - i think it was around 40.
 

strange_wings

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My total cholesterol is 150 and my cardiologist never commented.


According to the lab that did my test, HDL should be 40 or greater - mine is 42.

I wouldn't let yourself get too upset if you feel fine and have no other health issues to make your numbers alarming. Did your insurance not give you a print out of doctors it accepts or does it not list them on their site?
 
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nicolegray

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Oh, I can certainly find a new doctor. I'm just too lazy.
I've only been on this insurance for about ten months, and the need for a GP hasn't arisen. I see an OBGYN annually, and since I don't have any outstanding health issues and I'm up-to-date on vaccinations, I haven't bothered getting a regular annual.

Thanks for the reassurances!

Laureen, I can't imagine dealing with all those food allergies. Do you have a bad reaction to them? I take fish oil supplements for the fatty acids, so I suppose those should help with good cholesterol as well.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by NicoleGray

Laureen, I can't imagine dealing with all those food allergies. Do you have a bad reaction to them?
the ones i listed, yeah. fish makes me stupid [best description i can use,
] kinda like when you imbibe too much alcohol... even includes a 'hangover' the next day! chicken & almonds trigger a migraine, while broccoli, bell pepper & pineapple cause me to be overly emotional [cry at the drop of a hat, basically].
i can actually eat all of them, but not too frequently. so it's easier to abstain when possible - that way, if i accidently ingest one, it's not a big deal [has happened more than you might think!].
 
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