High levels of 'Good Cholesterol' can increase risk of death: Study

It is a known fact that high levels of good cholesterol are considered to be beneficial for health. However, the excess of the same can put your health at risk, as per a new study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

As a matter of fact, cholesterol, a lipid molecule, is important for the normal functioning of the human body.

The research indicated that people who have extremely high levels of good cholesterol were found to have a higher mortality rate when compared to people with normal levels.

Researchers, in order to conduct the study, analysed the data of 1,16,000 people. These people were followed by the team for an average of six years. The results were shocking as it revealed more than 10,500 deaths.

For men who had extremely high levels of cholesterol, the mortality rate was 106 percent higher when compared to the normal group. In case of women with extremely high levels, the mortality rate was 68 percent higher than the normal group.

Doctors are known to congratulate patients with high level of HDL (good cholesterol) in their blood. But the new research suggests it should be avoided as it is linked to higher mortality rate.

This is not all. The researchers have also claimed that people who have extremely low levels of cholesterol in their blood also have the risk of mortality.

People who had medium levels of HDL in their blood were found to have the lowest mortality. For women, this level was 2.4 mmol/L while for men it was 1.9 mmol/L.