What Doctors Don't Tell YouThe myth of low cholesterol being good for you has taken another beating.
A study in the Lancet suggests that, particularly among the elderly, high total cholesterol levels are associated with longevity. People of 85 years or older with higher cholesterol levels lived longer and were less likely to die from cancer or infection.
This research has cast doubt on the necessity for cholesterol lowering therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease later in life (Lancet, 1997; 350: 1119-23).
For more information see WDDTY, vol 3 nos 1, 9 and 12, and vol 6 no 7.
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD
