Analysis Version
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correlational
Analysis v1
Supported

Keeping your 'bad' cholesterol really low—below 55 mg/dL—might give your heart and blood vessels the best protection against clogged arteries and heart problems.

73
Pro
59
Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (2)

73

Community contributions welcome

68

The LDL cholesterol in stroke limbo: how low can we go?

Randomized Controlled Trial
Human
2020 Jun

The study looked at whether lowering bad cholesterol below 70 mg/dL helps prevent heart and brain problems after a stroke. It found that lower cholesterol led to fewer heart attacks and strokes, which supports the idea that very low cholesterol is protective.

59

Safety and efficacy of very low LDL-cholesterol intensive lowering: a meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized trials.

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis
Human
2023 Feb 2

The study shows that lowering LDL cholesterol to very low levels (below 40) reduces heart problems and is safe, which supports the idea that very low LDL levels protect the heart.

Contradicting (1)

59

Community contributions welcome

59

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Disease Risk, and Mortality in China

Cohort Study
Human
2024 Jul 1

The study found that for people at high risk of heart disease, the best LDL level was just above 55 mg/dL, but for most people, higher LDL levels were actually linked to lower risk of death. Going too low wasn’t always better.

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Similar Assertions

For people who already have heart disease, aiming to get their 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) below 55 mg/dL cuts their risk of serious heart problems by about one-third over three years compared to aiming for below 70 mg/dL — and it doesn’t seem to cause more side effects.

83
0
90%

For people with heart disease from clogged arteries, getting their bad cholesterol down to around 56 doesn’t cause more serious side effects than staying at 66, and it’s safe to keep it that low for at least three years.

83
0
88%

If you have heart disease from clogged arteries, getting your bad cholesterol down to around 56 mg/dL instead of 66 mg/dL can cut your risk of heart attacks or strokes by about a third over three years. For every 32 people treated this way, one person avoids a major heart problem.

83
0
87%

If you've had heart problems before, aiming to get your 'bad' cholesterol really low—below 55—cuts your risk of another heart issue by about a third compared to keeping it just under 70.

83
59
86%

When you have too much 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) in your blood, it sticks to the walls of your arteries and builds up like gunk, making them narrow and stiff — which raises your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.

52
37
82%

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