High Cholesterol in Old Age Isn’t So Serious – or Is It?

Netherland researchers have examined the cholesterol levels of 5,750 people over 65 and looked for an association between their lipid levels and non-cardiovascular mortality.  They published their findings in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.   

Participants were followed for an average of 14 years.  Non-cardiovascular mortality rates and lipid levels were calculated for the whole collective, and for different age groups: 55-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85 or above.

Overall, for every 1 mmol/L (38.5 mg/100mL) increase in total cholesterol level there was an approximately 2% lower risk of non-cardiovascular mortality. Analysis by age groups showed that this relationship was statistically significant in the groups aged 65 and over, the risk of cholesterol-related mortality decreasing in size with each 10-year increase in age.  On breaking down the lipid components, it was found that the effect was due chiefly to differences in the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, the ‘bad’ cholesterol); HDL-C was not linked to non-cardiovascular mortality.  Note that this association was concerned with non-cardiovascular mortality; most of these deaths were, as expected due to cancer. 

Recently there’s also been news of a link between cholesterol levels and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.  This one comes from Japan, and it’s published in the journal Neurology. Over 2,500 aged 40 to 79 had their cholesterol measured, and were then observed for 10 to 15 years.  Of the participants who had died, 147 had their brains examined postmortem.  The classical microscopic signs of Alzheimer’s – nerve cell tangles and amyloid plaques – were determined for each brain.  Amyloid plaques were found in 86% of those persons with a high cholesterol level and in 62% of those with low levels.  Put another way, the 25% of subjects with the highest lipid profiles had significantly higher risks of having plaques compared to the 25% with the lowest lipid levels.     

So, high cholesterol levels (LDL-C, that is) may protect against non-cardiovascular death (mostly cancer), but be related to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.  You just can’t win.  But before letting your lifestyle go to pieces, remember that high cholesterol levels are definitely unhealthy for your cardiovascular system.