HEALTHY DIETS AND SCIENCE: Death rates increase by 18% for every 1 mmol/l (38 mg/dl) decrease in cholesterol levels

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My research is mainly focused on the effects of cholesterol, saturated fat and statin drugs on health. If you know anyone who is worried about their cholesterol levels and heart disease, or has been told to take statin drugs you could send them a link to this website, and to my statin or cholesterol or heart disease books.

David Evans

Independent Health Researcher

Thursday 1 December 2011

Death rates increase by 18% for every 1 mmol/l (38 mg/dl) decrease in cholesterol levels

This study was published in the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care 2010 Jun;28(2):121-7

Study title and authors:
Serum total cholesterol levels and all-cause mortality in a home-dwelling elderly population: a six-year follow-up.

Tuikkala P, Hartikainen S, Korhonen MJ, Lavikainen P, Kettunen R, Sulkava R, Enlund H.
Department of Social Pharmacy, University of Kuopio and Kuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, Kuopio, Finland. Paivi.Tuikkala@uku.fi

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20470020

The study investigated the association between total cholesterol levels and all-cause mortality in 490 elderly individuals aged 75 years or over, with a six-year follow-up.

The study found:
(a) Those with cholesterol levels below 5 mmol/l (193 mg/dl) had a 52% increase in death rates compared to those with cholesterol above 6 mmol/l (232 mg/dl).
(b) Death rates increased by 18% for every 1 mmol/l (38 mg/dl) decrease in cholesterol levels.

To conclude: People with low cholesterol have a lower survival rate than people with an elevated cholesterol level, irrespective of disease or health status.