High cholesterol levels, and in particular, high levels of the so called "bad" LDL cholesterol are associated with a longer life span

This study was published in Age and Ageing 2008 Mar;37(2):207-13

Study title and authors:

Relation of plasma lipids to all-cause mortality in Caucasian, African-American and Hispanic elders.

Akerblom JL, Costa R, Luchsinger JA, Manly JJ, Tang MX, Lee JH, Mayeux R, Schupf N.

Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18349015

The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship of cholesterol levels to all-cause death rates in the non-demented elderly. The study included 2,556 non-demented elderly, aged between 65-103 years. Among participants, 66.1% were women, 27.6% were White, 31.2% were African-American and 41.2% were Hispanic.

The study found:
(a) The white's with the lowest cholesterol had a 120% increase in death rates compared to the white's with the highest cholesterol.
(b) The African-Americans with the lowest cholesterol had a 90% increase in death rates compared to the African-Americans with the highest cholesterol.
(c) Cholesterol levels were not related to death rates in Hispanics.
(d) The whites with the lowest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol had a 80% increase in death rates compared to the whites with the highest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
(e) The African-Americans with the lowest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol had a 90% increase in death rates compared to the African-Americans with the highest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
(f) The Hispanics with the lowest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol had a 40% increase in death rates compared to the Hispanics with the highest levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

This study shows that higher cholesterol levels, and in particular, higher levels of the so called "bad" LDL cholesterol are associated with a longer life span.

Links to other studies:
A rise in total cholesterol reduces the risk of mortality in the oldest old
Low cholesterol and increased mortality in men and women
Low cholesterol and increased mortality and cancer in 40-69 year olds

Links to useful books;
The Great Cholesterol Con
Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart disease
Ignore the Awkward.: How the Cholesterol Myths Are Kept Alive