Older people with higher 'bad' cholesterol might actually live just as long or longer than those with lower levels, and having very low cholesterol could be risky — especially if you're elderly and have diabetes or a genetic form of high cholesterol.

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Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

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Community contributions welcome

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Is Targeting LDL-C Levels Below 70 mg/dL Beneficial for Cardiovascular and Overall Health? A Critical Examination of the Evidence

Narrative Review

2025 May 20

The study looks at whether very low 'bad' cholesterol levels are actually good for high-risk people, and finds that lower isn’t always better—especially in older adults—supporting the idea that too low might be harmful.

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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.

Source Study

Is Targeting LDL-C Levels Below 70 mg/dL Beneficial for Cardiovascular and Overall Health? A Critical Examination of the Evidence

Score: 1

DOI: 10.3390/jcm14103569

Similar Assertions

Even if you're healthy and don't have typical heart disease risks, having higher 'bad' cholesterol (LDL) might still mean you're more likely to have early signs of artery buildup — and the higher the LDL, the greater the chance.

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Taking strong cholesterol drugs to get LDL very low doesn’t make you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than taking standard doses.

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71%

Lowering 'bad' cholesterol below 55 might sound like the best thing to do to avoid heart attacks or death, but studies don’t consistently show that people live longer or have fewer heart problems at that ultra-low level compared to slightly higher levels—so maybe doctors don’t need to push everyone that low.

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