Study title and authors:
Prognostic significance of serum cholesterol, lathosterol, and sitosterol in old age; a 17-year population study.
Tilvis RS, Valvanne JN, Strandberg TE, Miettinen TA.
Clinic of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21254906
This 17 year study investigated the effects of cholesterol levels on mortality rates in 623 people over 75 years of age.
The study found that:
(a) Total cholesterol declined in old age, and low cholesterol was associated with poor health
and multi-morbidity. (b) Cholesterol below 5.0 mmol/L (193 mg/dl) was associated with a 54% accelerated all-cause mortality.
(c) Cholesterol below 5.0 mmol/L (193 mg/dl) was associated with a 113% increase in stroke and heart disease.
(d) Lathosterol (indicating cholesterol synthesis) and sitosterol (indicating cholesterol absorption) also decreased with deteriorating health.
The results of the study indicate that low cholesterol levels are associated with deteriorating health and an earlier death.
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