- With Mayo Clinic cardiologist
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.
Dr. Thomas Behrenbeck is a native of Germany, where he received his medical education at the Westfalian Wilhelm University in Munster and became board certified in internal medicine and cardiology.
He also received a Ph.D. in biophysics and physiology at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Behrenbeck joined the Mayo Clinic staff in 1990 and is currently an associate professor at Mayo Medical School and an academic faculty member at the Westfalian Wilhelm University. He is the past chair of the Cardiovascular Medicine & Surgery NetWork of the American College of Chest Physicians.
Dr. Behrenbeck is a noninvasive cardiologist, specializing in cardiovascular (CV) imaging modalities (echocardiography, nuclear cardiology and CT), coronary artery disease and prevention of coronary artery disease. His research interests are the application of imaging technology to early recognition and treatment of atherosclerosis. He is passionate about patients' involvement in their health issues.
"The Internet and patient education present ideal synergies in the ever-growing field of knowledge in cardiology," he says.
Definition (1)
- VLDL cholesterol: Is it harmful?
Symptoms (1)
- Arcus senilis: A sign of high cholesterol?
Tests and diagnosis (3)
- Cholesterol ratio: Is it important?
- Cholesterol test kits: Are they accurate?
- Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?
Treatments and drugs (6)
- High cholesterol in children: How is it treated?
- After a flood, are food and medicine safe to use?
- Niacin overdose: What are the symptoms?
- see all in Treatments and drugs
Lifestyle and home remedies (4)
- Eggs: Are they good or bad for my cholesterol?
- Pomegranate juice: Can it lower cholesterol?
- MUFAs: Why should my diet include these fats?
- see all in Lifestyle and home remedies
Alternative medicine (2)
- High cholesterol treatment: Does cinnamon lower cholesterol?
- Noni juice: Can it reduce cholesterol?
Prevention (2)
- Healthy heart for life: Avoiding heart disease
- Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?
Can your total cholesterol level be too low?
Answer
from Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D.
A high blood cholesterol level increases your risk of coronary artery disease. Lower cholesterol is usually better, but in rare cases, having a low level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol or a low total cholesterol level could increase your risk of some health problems. Doctors are still trying to find out more about the connection between low cholesterol and health risks.
Although the risks are rare, low levels of LDL cholesterol may increase your risk of:
- Cancer
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Preterm birth and low birth weight if your cholesterol is low while you're pregnant
Ideally, your total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels should fall in these ranges:
- Total cholesterol below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 5.2 millimoles per liter (mmol/L)
- LDL cholesterol below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) — or below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L) if you're at very high risk of heart disease
If you're concerned about your cholesterol level, consult your doctor. He or she can determine the cholesterol range most appropriate for you.
Next questionHigh cholesterol in children: How is it treated?
- Ahn J, et al. Prediagnostic total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and risk of cancer. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention. 2009;18;2814.
- Alsheikh-Ali AA, et al. Effect of the magnitude of lipid lowering on risk of elevated liver enzymes, rhabdomyolysis, and cancer. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2007;50:409.
- Troisi A. Cholesterol in coronary heart disease and psychiatric disorders: Same or opposite effects on morbidity risk? Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2009;33:125.
- Papakostas GI, et al. Cholesterol in mood and anxiety disorders: Review of the literature and new hypotheses. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2004;14:135.
- Edison RJ, et al. Adverse birth outcome among mothers with low serum cholesterol. Pediatrics. 2007;120:723.
- Executive summary of the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/atp3xsum.pdf. Accessed April 19, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on