"Bad" cholesterol is actually not that bad
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Experts from different countries are constantly conducting research on "harmful cholesterol" and how it affects life expectancy. As the results of the work of various research groups have shown, such cholesterol does not at all reduce life - the life expectancy of people with normal and elevated cholesterol is on average the same.
The findings were published in one of the medical journals in Britain.
Specialists in one of their works analyzed various studies that were conducted in the past. On the whole, about 70 thousand people from different countries, whose age exceeded the 60-year mark, were studied. As a result, the researchers realized that "harmful cholesterol" is not so dangerous to health and life, as was always believed.
In the past, scientists argued that such cholesterol increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and to prevent health problems, such patients were recommended taking statins - drugs that reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol.
In the analysis of previous studies, experts found an interesting fact - in almost all cases, patients with high cholesterol died from other causes, it was also found that it was "bad" cholesterol that beneficially affects the body. Scientists found that people with high cholesterol on average lived longer, compared to those who did not exceed the maximum standards.
Experts suggest that an elevated level of lipoproteins helps the body resist age-related changes, in particular, it prevents the development of severe senile diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
After receiving new data on the effect of cholesterol on the body, scientists intend to continue research in this field and to find out why at a young age "bad" cholesterol causes cardiovascular diseases, and in the elderly (after 60 years) this relationship is not observed, in addition , the use of cholesterol for the body.
Lipoproteins of low density are carriers of "bad" cholesterol, which can provoke atherosclerosis, while high-density lipoproteins lower the risk of vascular and heart disease.
At the University of South Florida, experts have previously proven that in the elderly, the level of cholesterol does not affect life expectancy, and on average, patients with high and normal cholesterol lived approximately equally, and in some cases with "bad" cholesterol people lived much longer.
In conclusion, the researchers noted that the new work casts doubt on previous assumptions, according to which "bad" cholesterol is one of the main causes of premature death. Previously it was assumed that such cholesterol poses a health hazard after 30 years and provokes various vascular and heart diseases, and also shortens life expectancy, however, no scientific confirmation has been obtained.