Does dizziness in the elderly require a blood lipid test? Clarifying that lower cholesterol isn't always better.

Don't Ignore Dizziness in the Elderly: When dizziness is mentioned in the elderly, people naturally think of common ailments like hypertension and cervical spondylosis. Indeed, many elderly people find their dizziness quite manageable after taking antihypertensive medication or undergoing treatment for cervical spondylosis for a period of time. However, it's possible that some people experience intermittent dizziness, not daily. When dizziness occurs, they endure a spinning sensation, sometimes accompanied by nausea or vomiting; but when dizziness is not present, they don't feel the surroundings spinning, and there are no symptoms like headache, nausea, or vomiting. Their blood pressure is generally normal, and examinations of the cervical spine show no obvious degenerative changes. What could be the reason for this? If a doctor suggests that these elderly individuals have their blood lipids checked, don't refuse; everything will become clear. Blood lipids are crucial in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases in the elderly, and arteriosclerosis is inextricably linked to hyperlipidemia. Cerebral arteriosclerosis causes varying degrees of narrowing of the arterial lumen, leading to insufficient blood supply to the brain, thus causing symptoms such as dizziness and memory loss.

It's a misconception that lower cholesterol is always better: Cholesterol is essential for the structure of human tissues, life activities, and metabolism. Recently, scientists have discovered that cholesterol plays an irreplaceable role in fighting cancer. When cholesterol levels in the body are below normal, its physiological functions cannot be fulfilled, naturally leading to an increase in the incidence and mortality of other diseases. For example, those with low blood cholesterol have a significantly higher cancer mortality rate, most notably lung cancer. Mortality rates from non-cancer diseases (including respiratory and digestive diseases and non-disease-related causes) decrease as plasma cholesterol levels rise; in other words, the lower the plasma cholesterol level, the higher the mortality rate from these diseases. Scientific experiments show that people with excessively low blood cholesterol levels are three times more likely to develop colon cancer than those with higher cholesterol levels. Low cholesterol can also cause bodily dysfunction, decreased immune function, unstable mental state, brittle blood vessel walls, and an increased risk of cerebral hemorrhage. Some researchers have also proposed a new viewpoint: eating high-cholesterol foods may actually be beneficial for the elderly. Years of research have found that cholesterol-rich foods can lower "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) associated with arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. In conclusion, lower blood cholesterol levels are not always better, and excessively low levels should be avoided during lipid-lowering treatment.

Since hyperlipidemia is a significant contributing factor, is lower blood lipid always better? The answer is no. Modern medical research shows that the human body cannot function without cholesterol, as it has several important physiological functions:

(1) It constitutes bile and participates in enterohepatic circulation;

(2) It is an important component of cell membranes;

(3) It synthesizes steroid hormones.

Of course, higher cholesterol levels are not necessarily better either. Experts remind people that it is correct to pay close attention to excessively high LDL cholesterol, which is a major factor leading to coronary heart disease, but lowering cholesterol levels is not always better. Extensive evidence shows that reducing excessively high LDL cholesterol levels by 20%–30% yields the greatest benefit; reductions exceeding 30% are not only ineffective but also harmful.

Therefore, nutritionists suggest consuming small amounts of foods containing saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Middle-aged and elderly people, especially those with coronary heart disease, hypertension, or arteriosclerosis, should be particularly careful to avoid or avoid high-cholesterol foods such as lard, butter, animal organs, quail eggs, and cuttlefish. Nutritionists recommend that daily cholesterol intake should be controlled below 300 milligrams.