What diet should I choose if I have naturally low cholesterol?

May 18, 2004 8:13 AM

We all know that folks with high cholesterol should avoid fatty foods. But what about those of us with freakishly low cholesterol? (more inside)

My family has the low cholesterol gene. I’ve been tested twice; I’m about 15 pounds overweight, don’t exercise much, eat Atkins-diet levels of fatty foods, but my level has averaged 110. Last time my brother was checked, he was about 200 pounds overweight, and he tested at 153. We have a cousin who tested at 88. HDL/LDL balances are optimal, too.

I realize, of course, that fats have the greatest concentration of calories, so avoiding fats is a good way to lose weight. But should I bother especially avoiding saturated fats? Are butter and lard no worse than olive oil? And do I need to worry about trans fats?

posted by MrMoonPie to health & fitness (5 comments total)

I'm not familiar with the effects of the low cholesterol gene, MrMoonPie--you might want to run a PubMed search. (If you don't know the name of the allele, you can use MeSH to find out, usually.) OMIM might help too.

I don't think you should try to eat fats, obviously, but you're at lower risk for heart disease and atherosclerosis, if there's no other catches involved in the gene (you need to research this to confirm). However, in no way does that mean you're safe. Just because your risk is lowered doesn't mean it's null, and the higher you can get your HDL, the more protective it is, according to research.

You're also still at risk (and your brother even moreso) for diabetes, hypertension, and a whole host of other diseases. If you are or were a smoker, that might even cancel out your cholesterol luck. Moral of the story: just because you might be okay in one risk factor doesn't mean you're out of the water. Increase the exercise, decrease the calories, and you'll have more energy, feel better, and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and many others, too!
posted by gramcracker at 8:41 AM on May 18, 2004

My cardiologist would consider your brother's 158 too high, and he said my target level should be 100, and lower still if achievable. My last count was 172 (down from the mid-300s in 1998).

Your question is best directed to your doctor.
posted by mischief at 9:12 AM on May 18, 2004

Here is a good explanation of the relationship between diet and cholesterol. As you can see it is not that simple; this is because most cholesterol is synthesized in the body so there is no direct link between what is in the diet and what is in the blood. It sounds like you are fortunate to be able to eat what you want as far as cholesterol is concerned, but it still wouldn't hurt to do other healthy things such as exercise, give up smoking if applicable, and so on. I wouldn't get to stressed out over it though; stress is also unhealthy
posted by TedW at 9:23 AM on May 18, 2004

I fear my self-deprecation has been misconstrued!

I'm pretty healthy, actually. I don't smoke. I'm on a diet, have lost 15 pounds, have 15 more to go before ideal BMI. I walk at least 2 miles a day, often more. And I'm one of the least-stressed people you can imagine.

I wasn't looking for general health tips, but rather advice about the relative dangers of types of fats, since I'm at, and will likely always be at, the lower end of the cholesterol scale.
posted by MrMoonPie at 1:40 PM on May 18, 2004

Trans fats always worse. Olive oils, omega3, omega6, always better.
posted by gramcracker at 3:50 PM on May 18, 2004