Anyone else with very low cholesterol?

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, if you are worried about the strokes, you need to be tested for your homocysteine levels and perhaps the CRP levels. Both tests are an indicator of cardio function. High homocysteine levels will lead to strokes. A person with low cholesterol may have high homocysteines, and not know it, thus the strokes. It isn't just about one component, such as cholesterol, but the total health of the body.

Darcy

High homocysteine levels are associated with ischemic stroke -- the other kind. That's the type that folks with high cholesterol have to worry about. I'm not worried about that. I don't think there's any test that can show a tendency towards hemorrhagic stroke, other than, perhaps, a cholesterol test as we're discussing. But as this article points out, the studies that have shown a correlation don't break down HDL/LDL, which may well make a difference (http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9902/06/strokes/index.html).

Thanks!
Emily

[DarcyInOregon]

That is an interesting article. It seems that the risk for a bleeding stroke is very low. I think more data is needed, like how old were the bleeding stroke victims, and what else was going on in their lives.

I am old enough to remember the hullabaloo about eggs. I never gave up eating eggs. I remember when the headlines screamed that if you burnt your toast you would get cancer. I like my toast crisp. If enough time passes, the story will change, because there will be more data and more completed studies. In other words, I don't react to every new thing that gets printed in the media. I am sensible and logical about it all.

Darcy