Please act as referee in the debate going on here ...what is an acceptable cholesterol level...

[Apricot]

Office colleague...seriously into healthy eating..has Cholesterol level of 4.8...which has gone up slightly in the last 6 months. Her GP isnt happy....and hence there are conflicting views here as to whats ok..and what isnt....

Act as referee(s), please....

Thank you

[jan44]

Hi Apricot

I had one of those you're over 40 NHS check ups a few weeks ago of which a cholesterol test is one of the tests done. From what I can gather the cholesterol reading on its own is part of the picture however there are different levels of what is ok depending on family history of strokes/heart attacks, weight, blood pressure and previous smoking history. I think if there is history of heart problems than a lower cholesterol level is expected by the medical profession and the statins get dished out......

Jan

[Apricot]

My colleague..is four foot ten, size 8 in a dress, fanatical about what her and her man eat, never smoked, is late 50's. Fit....and does exercise/swim/garden etc on regular basis.

She does get a bit stresed...its the nature of the work in here...

Shes quite upset re the 4.8 level...and the nagging of the GP....so thats why I consulted with you good folks....

[Simon712]

Hi Apricot,

It used to be that the acceptable level was 7. Then it was reduced to 5. (millimoles per litre)

personally when my father had a stroke and they tested his was 11, He has always been a fit active man, a farmer, eating fresh fruit veg etc. They reduced the count with statins and tested the rest of the family, dads brother had a count of 2 which is equally bad apparently. Mine was 9 and I was really chuffed to be able to reduce it to 7 by diet and exercise, then they told me to get it below 5, its taken 6 years but last month at my annual check it was 4.9

I celebrated by eating a piece of cheese.

4.8 i think is OK

[Lynxcat]

Hi Apricot, I am not much help with this question as I have never had my cholesterol measured. No-one has ever offered to measure it. I did however, think that it was not good to have cholesterol levels too low as it is required to generate Vitamin D within the skin using sunlight. Perhaps we as coeliacs need it a little higher than others, may be .. I don't know.

This is quite an interesting piece concerning cholesterol ..

cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscien...

Hope that you get your answer Apricot.

Take care, xx

[Mandy63]

Tbere are different results ie. Total cholesterol zhould now be 5.0 or less but it may be the hdl cholezterol or even the ldl cholesterol that was reported. Neex to k ow which of the 3 types ofresults it refers to before judging it.

[Jacks]

Pre diagnosis I had really low cholesterol. Other blood tests this year revealed I now have high bad cholesterol but my GP says it isn't something to worry about as my previous low readings were probably due to malabsorption.

A University of Texas Medical School article suggests investigating patients presenting with low cholesterol for CD. "Low, or “too good,” because of lack of absorption and diminished production resulting from liver impairment. (High-density cholesterol is also low, probably because of liver impairment.)"

aafp.org/afp/1998/0301/p102...

High cholesterol can be hereditary (familial hypercholesterolaemia).

[poing]

Like Manyd63 says, it depends on which type of result this was.

Funnily enough, I just had my cholesterol result today. Total cholesterol is 5.5, which i was told is bang on average. So if your friend's total cholesterol was 4.8 that would be below average and not likely to be a problem (I realise that ranges can vary, but probably not by much.)

If that 4.8 number was for LDL cholesterol, it would be considered high (on my results the LDL range went up to 3.0). How much of a health nut is your friend? I have heard that very low carb diets can raise LDL cholesterol, although i didn't really follow the reasons for it.

[Enixam]

what about her other key health markers? I had a comprehensive test last year for insurance purposes, and while I've got the heartbeat and blood pressure of a 20 year old (I'm 46), which is the onlythe GP pointed out that my cholestrol - 5.2 - didn't fit in with the rest of my health profile. he said it seemed odd in comparison, but also said not to worry.