LDL cholesterol is informally known as “bad” cholesterol. Usually, doctors encourage people to lower LDL cholesterol levels. However, when LDL levels fall below 50 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood, this may signal a health problem or cause symptoms. Low LDL cholesterol is less common than low HDL cholesterol. Typically, it is secondary to another medical condition, such as: malnourishment from poor nutrition, or from disorders that affect a person’s ability to absorb nutrients hyperthyroidism chronic infections, such as hepatitis C chronic inflammation blood cancers Three genetic disorders may cause low LDL cholesterol: Hypobetalipoproteinemia: A person must inherit two copies of a gene for this condition to develop. It causes the body to metabolize LDL very quickly. Some people with this disorder have no detectable levels of LDL and need treatment. Others have low but detectable LDL levels and do not usually need treatment. Chylomicron retention disease: To develop this condition, a person has to inherit two copies of a certain gene… Read More