Low cholesterol is often overlooked or even mistakenly thought to be a sign of good health. However, the reality is that too low a cholesterol level can cause serious risks and complications to the body. This is not just a matter of feeling tired or having mood swings, but also involves profound damage to important life functions.
Why is low cholesterol dangerous?
The consequences of low cholesterol do not stop at fatigue and mood swings. When cholesterol levels remain too low for a long time, it can lead to more serious health complications, affecting important body functions.
1. Hormonal Imbalance
Cholesterol is an essential component for the production of important steroid hormones such as estrogen, testosterone and cortisol. When cholesterol levels drop too low, the synthesis of these hormones is disrupted, leading to a series of health problems:
- In women: Low cholesterol directly affects the production of estrogen and progesterone, causing menstrual disorders, difficulty conceiving and symptoms related to hormonal imbalance such as dry skin, hot flashes, irritability, insomnia.
- In men: Low cholesterol levels reduce testosterone, leading to decreased sex drive, persistent fatigue, decreased muscle mass and lethargy.
- Chronic stress: Cholesterol is also the raw material for the production of cortisol – a hormone that helps the body cope with stress. When deficient, the ability to adapt to stress is greatly reduced, making you susceptible to prolonged stress, anxiety and mental exhaustion.
Hormonal imbalance due to low cholesterol not only affects reproductive health but is also a potential cause of a series of other chronic diseases.
2. Nerve Damage
One of the lesser-known roles of cholesterol is maintaining the myelin sheath, the insulating layer that surrounds nerves, allowing nerve signals to be transmitted efficiently and accurately.
When cholesterol is low for a long time:
- The myelin sheath weakens or becomes damaged, causing the nerves to lose their ability to transmit accurately.
- Symptoms that may appear include: numbness, tingling, sharp pain in the limbs, reduced mobility or sensation.
- In severe cases, nerve damage that is not treated promptly can cause long-term consequences, even disability.
This is an unexpected but extremely dangerous complication, especially in the elderly or those with underlying neurological diseases.
3. Increased Cancer Risk
Several studies have shown that people with chronically low total or LDL cholesterol levels are at increased risk of certain cancers, including:
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Blood cancer (lymphoma)
Although the exact link between low cholesterol and cancer is still being studied, scientists hypothesize that:
- Cholesterol is an important component of cell membranes.
- When it is deficient, cell membrane stability is disrupted, creating conditions for mutations and abnormal cell growth – a precursor to cancer.
- In addition, low cholesterol can also weaken the immune system, reducing its ability to recognize and destroy malignant cells in the early stages.
While not all cases of low cholesterol lead to cancer, this is yet another reason why maintaining balanced cholesterol levels is more important than ever.
Tips to help prevent low cholesterol
1. Maintain a complete and balanced diet
The most important key to preventing low cholesterol is to eat a nutritious and varied diet. The body needs enough healthy fats to produce cholesterol naturally. You do not need and should not completely eliminate fat from your diet.
Specifically:
- Supplement good fats: Including olive oil, avocado, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), nuts (walnuts, almonds) to help the body have the necessary raw materials to synthesize cholesterol.
- Eat a variety of food groups: Make sure your daily meals are full of healthy starches, proteins, vegetables, fruits and reasonable fats.
- Do not diet too much: Diets that are too low in fat or focus only on vegetables and fruits can reduce cholesterol and disrupt hormonal balance.
2. Drink enough water and supplement micronutrients
Cholesterol is produced mainly in the liver, and the liver only functions well when the body receives enough water and micronutrients.
- Drink water regularly: Prolonged dehydration will reduce the liver’s performance, indirectly affecting the cholesterol synthesis process.
- Supplement vitamins and minerals: Vitamin B, vitamin D, zinc and selenium all play an important role in maintaining liver function and hormone production.
3. Maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle
A reasonable weight is not only good for the heart but also helps the body regulate stable cholesterol production.
- Exercise regularly: No need to exercise intensely, just maintaining the habit of walking, yoga or swimming for 30 minutes a day is enough to improve overall health.
- Get enough sleep: Quality sleep helps regulate hormones and support the liver to work more effectively.
- Reduce stress: Chronic stress can disrupt hormonal balance and affect cholesterol levels.
