Low cholesterol levels are associated with poor memory

This study was published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 2008 Aug;28(8):1556-62

Study title and authors:

Low HDL cholesterol is a risk factor for deficit and decline in memory in midlife: the Whitehall II study.

Singh-Manoux A, Gimeno D, Kivimaki M, Brunner E, Marmot MG.

INSERM U687-IFR69, Hôpital Paul Brousse, Bât 15/16, 16 Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807 Villejuif Cedex, France. Archana.Singh-Manoux@inserm.fr

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18591462

The study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with memory. 3,673 male and female participants, average age 61, were subjected to a short-term verbal memory test.

The study found:
(a) Poor memory was found in 53% more subjects with the lowest levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, below 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L), compared to those with the highest levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, above 60 mg/dL (1.5 mmol/L).
(b) Poor memory was found in 10% more subjects with the lowest levels of cholesterol, below 200 mg/dL (5.1 mmol/L), compared to those with the highest levels of cholesterol 240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L).

The results of the study indicate that low cholesterol levels are associated with poor memory.

Links to other studies:
High cholesterol levels boost memory function
High cholesterol levels are associated with higher intelligence

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High cholesterol levels lead to a longer life in very old people

This study was published in the Journal of Aging and Health 1996 May;8(2):220-37

Study title and authors:
Survival in the oldest old: death risk factors in old and very old subjects.

Dontas AS, Toupadaki N, Tzonou A, Kasviki-Charvati P.
Center of Studies of Age-Related Changes in Man.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10160559

This study investigated which factors predict survival in the ninth decade of life. The study included 210 subjects aged 68 to 79 and 287 subjects aged over 80.

Hematocrit is a measurement of how much space in the blood is occupied by red blood cells

The study found:
(a) In those aged 68 to 79, high  hematocrit levels predicted survival.
(b) In those aged 80 or over, high hematocrit levels predicted survival.
(c) In those aged 80 or over, high cholesterol levels, 8.0 mmol/l (309 mg/dL) or over, as compared with low cholesterol levels, 5.9 mmol/l (228 mg/dL) or under, predicted survival.

The data from the study shows that high high hematocrit levels and high cholesterol levels lead to a longer life in very old people.

Foods high in iron and protein such as liver, egg yolk and beef raise hematocrit levels.

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Analysis of 519,643 people reveals low cholesterol increases the risk of dying from pancreatic cancer by 27%

This study was published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2006 Dec;15(12):2435-40

 

Study title and authors:

The effect of modifiable risk factors on pancreatic cancer mortality in populations of the Asia-Pacific region.

Ansary-Moghaddam A, Huxley R, Barzi F, Lawes C, Ohkubo T, Fang X, Jee SH, Woodward M; Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration.

The George Institute, University of Sydney, Australia.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17164367

This analysis of 30 studies assessed the connection between cholesterol levels and death rates from pancreatic cancer. The study included 519,643 men and women with 3,558,733 person-years of follow-up.

This analysis of  519,643 people revealed that those with the lowest cholesterol, below 4.8 mmol/L (185 mg/dL) had a 27% increased risk of dying from pancreatic cancer compared to those with the highest cholesterol, over 5.8 mmol/L (224 mg/dL).

Links to other studies:
Red meat and eggs decrease the risk of pancreatic cancer
High margarine consumption is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer
High consumption of soft drinks lead to a 93% increased risk of pancreatic cancer

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Low cholesterol levels linked with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

This study was published in Metabolism 2006 Jul;55(7):980-8

Study title and authors:
Altered lipid, apolipoprotein, and lipoprotein profiles in inflammatory bowel disease: consequences on the cholesterol efflux capacity of serum using Fu5AH cell system.

Ripollés Piquer B, Nazih H, Bourreille A, Segain JP, Huvelin JM, Galmiche JP, Bard JM.
Laboratoire de Biochimie Générale et Appliquée, UFR de Pharmacie, Université de Nantes, 44035 Nantes, France.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16784973

This study examined the association of cholesterol levels with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The study included 21 patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and 28 healthy subjects.

The study found that the patients with inflammatory bowel diseases had significantly lower levels of cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol than the healthy subjects.

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Low cholesterol is significantly associated with schizophrenia

This study was published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 2003 Sep;108(3):208-14

Study title and authors:

Serum leptin and cholesterol levels in schizophrenic patients with and without suicide attempts.

Atmaca M, Kuloglu M, Tezcan E, Ustundag B.

Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Biochemistry, Firat University, School of Medicine, Elazig, Turkey. matmaca_p@yahoo.com

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12890276

The study examined the association of cholesterol levels in schizophrenic patients with and without suicide attempts. The study included 16 medication-free schizophrenic patients with and without suicide attempts and in 16 healthy controls.

The study found:
(a) The schizophrenic patients had lower cholesterol levels compared with the controls.
(b) The schizophrenic patients who had attempted suicide had significantly lower cholesterol levels compared with the schizophrenic patients who had not.
(c) Cholesterol levels were lower in violent suicide attempters when compared with non-violent suicide attempters.

The results of the study show that low cholesterol is significantly associated with schizophrenia, especially in suicide attempters and even more so in violent suicide attempters.

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High cholesterol levels are linked to a longer life

This paper was published in Circulation 1992 Sep;86(3):1046-60

Study title and authors:

Report of the Conference on Low Blood Cholesterol: Mortality Associations.

Jacobs D, Blackburn H, Higgins M, Reed D, Iso H, McMillan G, Neaton J, Nelson J, Potter J, Rifkind B, et al.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1355411

This paper featured an analysis of 18 studies that compared cholesterol levels with death rates. The  studies lasted between 9 and 30 years and included 172,760 men and 124,814 women.

The analysis found:
(a) Women with the highest cholesterol levels (over 240 mg/dL or 6.2 mmol/L) had 13% lower death rates than women with the lowest cholesterol (below 160 mg/dL or 4.1 mmol/L).
(b) Men with the highest cholesterol levels (over 240 mg/dL or 6.2 mmol/L) had 3% lower death rates than men with the lowest cholesterol (below 160 mg/dL or 4.1 mmol/L).

The results of this analysis of 18 studies shows that higher cholesterol levels are linked to a longer life.

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People with low cholesterol are more prone to coughs, colds, runny noses and sore throats

This study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine 1992 Mar-Apr;8(2):100-3

Study title and authors:

Effect of minor illness on serum cholesterol level.

Hyman DJ, Barrett DC, Fortmann SP.

Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California 94304-1885.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1599716

This study investigated the association of cholesterol levels with a minor illness. The study included 6,880 people who had their cholesterol levels measured. Additionally a further 162 people were followed for six years. Minor illnesses include coughs, colds, runny noses and sore throats.

In the main study
(a) Those who had a minor illness on the day their cholesterol was measured had 2.7% lower cholesterol levels compared to healthy subjects.
(b) Those who had a minor illness on the day their high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was measured had 2.1% lower HDL cholesterol levels compared to healthy subjects.

In the six year study those with a minor illness had 2.2% lower cholesterol levels compared to healthy subjects.

The results of the study indicate that people with low cholesterol are more prone to minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, runny noses and sore throats.

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