Low serum total cholesterol

The total serum cholesterol index can reflect the good or bad metabolic function of the human body. The total serum cholesterol index is closely related to people’s daily living habits, especially to diet. If your total serum cholesterol is slightly low, don't worry too much. Most of the time it is normal and you just need to adjust your diet. The specific causes of low serum total cholesterol can be found as follows.

1. What is the reason for low total cholesterol?

A person's total cholesterol level depends mainly on genetic factors and lifestyle. Total cholesterol includes free cholesterol and cholesterol esters, and the liver is the main organ for synthesis and storage. Cholesterol is an important raw material for synthesizing physiologically active substances such as adrenal cortical hormones, sex hormones, bile acids and vitamin D. It is also the main component of cell membranes. Its serum concentration can be used as an indicator of lipid metabolism. Experts say it may be more appropriate to control total cholesterol within the range of 2.1~5.2mmol/L (90-200mg/dl). Anything below this range is considered low and should be taken with caution.

A certain amount of total cholesterol is good for the human body, because cholesterol can form bile acid, which is also an indispensable component of cell membranes. However, low total cholesterol is not good for the human body, it can easily cause hepatitis, and can also lead to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Cholesterol transferase is inhibited or its production is reduced, thus causing a decrease in cholesterol, and the more severe the damage, the more obvious the decrease in cholesterol. Indicates that the damage is more serious. If cholesterol continues to decrease, the prognosis will be adverse, but cholesterol will gradually rise after the condition improves.

Specifically, the reasons for low total cholesterol are as follows:

1. Liver disease: When liver cells are severely damaged, the synthesis of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase, which is necessary for cholesterol synthesis, may be reduced, thereby causing a decrease in serum total cholesterol. Clinically, it is common in decompensated cirrhosis, fulminant liver failure, acute and subacute liver necrosis, severe hepatitis and subacute severe hepatitis, moderate chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis combined with liver necrosis, acute toxic hepatocellular injury, etc.

2. Endocrine diseases: hyperthyroidism, Addison's disease.

3. Severe anemia: aplastic anemia, hemolytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia, nutritional anemia, etc.

4. Abnormal lipid metabolism diseases: hypocholesterolemia, α-lipoprotein deficiency, hypoβ-lipoproteinemia and aβ-lipoproteinemia, etc.