Discussion Board

What's the bottom range for optimum total cholesterol?

I was at 132 on August 11th, then 101 on March 19th. The endocrinologist said he'd never seen numbers this low in a 28 year-old. I tried attributing it to reducing fat starting last summer; he said the only reason I could have "too low" cholesterol is by having a genetic defect where my body doesn't carry enough. (He never suggested cancer or other causes.)

What levels are typical on a plant-based diet in people without other known diseases possibly lowering numbers? I'd like to know before speaking with my regular Dr.

(In case it's revelant. . . I started thyroid meds late October. My TSH was 1.36 last week; low for my recorded history but slightly higher than my 56 year-old mom's this summer. And I have no signs of overactivity. My hair's still coarse, my skin dry, my T4 & T3 & FT3 quite low for my age, my gland enlarged, my blood pressure low-normal, heart rate normal. . .though the antibodies I had at 19 didn't show up on October's or this month's labs! Other changes: potassium's low; got my periods back after cutting out fat and they turned into seemingly normal 31-35 day cycles last fall; went from high insulin in March or April 2011 to "normal" on 3/19/12 test [suspect truly a bit high at 9.6 mU/mL in range of 3.0-25.0] but a higher fasting BS [choke!] of 86 which I'm hoping some sleep deprivation had a role in [and that I didn't progress from too much insulin to too little!!], weight dropped 4 lbs. since 2/28 [now 122 at 5'4"], and DHEA-sulfate was on lower side of normal [used to have high testosterone/"androgens"; suspect this is a different test though & free hormone levels not tested] . The Dr.'s a bit stumped. And doesn't want to increase thyroid meds to up T3 & T4 due to "perfect" TSH, I-forget-what, and low cholesterol.)

from: http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/full/43/11/2142

Emphasis added by me

My TC is typically in the 121 range. If that low is dangerous we are going down with the ship together!
f1jim

I believe average TC for Okinawans used to be, or is, around 127. You could do worse than have the TC of an Okinawan, at least those that ate a traditional diet. I'm sure the spread of fast-food is having its effect there as well now.

Of course then you have studies like this http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docid=663079 which purport to show a link between low cholesterol and cancer. The thing I don't get about these studies is why this supposed connection doesn't result in high cancer rates for places like Okinawa. They should be dropping like flies if this connection were real. Maybe it's because these studies only look at people who eat a Western diet.

Oooh! Thanks, Geoffrey! Was having a debate w/ a co-worker the other day who told me my TC of 123 is "dangerously low," LOL. This will be WONDERFUL to send him.

Nothing like the good research that's for sure!

I had my TC 54!!!! and LDL 28 with statin drug before they lowered my quantity. Now I have TC 90 and LDL 54. And they say that is great not too low???

Thanks, everybody!! How great to see the good numbers this program gives! If only everyone was like you at your age and a lot younger, f1jim!

The reference range, at least at my lab, starts at 120 TC. But Geoffrey's article gives great reassurance that it's good, and not indicative of "a dangerous level" (as I was told by the endo) to drop to 101! Phew!

ElDorado, perhaps it's not the numbers they tend to worry about at that level as much as them being indicative of a larger problem (and assume yours are from statins and thus not indicative of a cholesterol dropping disorder)? My endo said 101 was "a dangerous level," but perhaps he's rare even in the US in thinking the level itself and not just a cause indicative of a disease/disorder is dangerous. (He also told me this wouldn't protect me from heart problems like one would think, but I know that's not correct and assume it's based on research where the numbers taken for lower in the studies are still too high to have much difference in clinical outcomes.)