Unlocking Longevity: What Our Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels Reveal

In our earlier blog post,  we discussed important heart and metabolic health indicators to monitor.

Among them, blood lipid and cholesterol levels were identified as key markers for overall heart wellness.

In this post, we’ll explore the different types of blood lipid and cholesterol, and how they may relate to long-term health and longevity.

Blood Lipid vs. Cholesterol

A blood lipid is any fat-like substance found in our bloodstream. The two main types of blood lipids are:

Blood Lipid	Composition	Function
Cholesterol	Sterol	A key building block of every cell’s outer layer (membrane), steroid hormones, and bile acids
Triglycerides (TG)	glycerol + fatty acids	A type of fat that our body stores and uses for energy

 

Cholesterol and TG are commonly measured in standard lipid panels during routine checkups.

Other types of non-cholesterol blood lipids—such as phospholipids, free fatty acids, and sphingolipids—are typically not routinely tested and are thought to play a smaller role in heart and metabolic health.

Now let’s take a closer look at cholesterol.

While it often gets a bad reputation, cholesterol is actually essential to life.

It plays three critical roles in our body.

The Three Key Functions of Cholesterol

Function	What Cholesterol Does
Cell membrane support	Acts as a structural component of cell membrane, helping keep them stable and functional
Hormone synthesis	Serves as the building block for hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol
Bile production / nutrient absorption	Converted in the liver to bile acids that help digests fats and absorb key fat-soluble vitamins (Vitamin A, D, E, K)

 

Main Types of Cholesterols

Type	Full Name	Role in the Body	Often Called
LDL-c	Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol	Delivers cholesterol to cells throughout our bodies	“Bad” cholesterol
HDL-c	High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol	Removes excess cholesterol from the bloodstream and returns it to liver	“Good” cholesterol
VLDL-c	Very Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol	Carries TG and some cholesterol from the liver to tissues	Typically considered “Bad”

 

Total cholesterol (TC) is a combined measure that includes LDL-C, HDL-C, and VLDL-C (typically estimated by dividing TG levels by 5).

While TC provides a general snapshot of our lipid profile, it includes both “good” and “bad” cholesterols.

That’s why healthcare providers interpret TC in the context of its subtypes.

In general, lower TC is preferred, especially when reductions come from lower levels of LDL-C and VLDL-C.

Why Healthy Lipid and Cholesterol Levels Matter for Longevity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 90% of US adults over age 20 have TC levels below 240 mg/dL, the threshold for what’s considered “high.”

About three-quarters have levels below 200 mg/dL, which is viewed as the desirable range.[1]

While most people appear to have cholesterol levels within a safe range, maintaining those levels over time is important for long-term heart and metabolic health.

Sometimes, however, people may have unusually low levels of “bad” cholesterols, typically defined as TC below 120 mg/dL or LDL-c below 40-50 mg/dL.

At first glance, this might seem like a good thing—but not so fast.

As we discussed above, cholesterol plays several essential roles in the body, including supporting cell membrane structure, hormone production, and nutrient absorption.

So, when these cholesterol levels drop very low, it raises reasonable questions about whether those important functions could be affected.

That said, current scientific evidence and expert opinions are mixed, and there’s no clear evidence and expert consensus that low levels of “bad” cholesterols are harmful.[2],[3]

On the other hand, higher levels of HDL-c (good cholesterol) are generally considered beneficial.

However, levels above 80 mg/dL may not always provide additional benefit and, in some cases, have been associated with uncertain or potentially negative effects.[4],[5],[6]

If you have concerns about unusually low TC, low LDL-c levels or high HDL-c levels, it’s best to discuss them with your healthcare provider to understand what’s best for your individual health.

On the other hand, there is strong scientific evidence and support from healthcare experts that maintaining healthy levels of blood lipid and cholesterol within desirable levels supports heart and metabolic health and contributes to overall longevity.

How Balanced Cholesterol and Lipid Levels Support Longevity

Blood Lipid/ Cholesterol Type	What Happens When Levels Are Normal
LDL-c	Cholesterol is transported efficiently, minimizing buildup along vessel walls and supporting healthy endothelial function (the inner lining of blood vessels).
VLDL-c	Cholesterol and triglycerides circulate efficiently through the bloodstream, helping maintain normal lipid balance.
TC	Reflects balanced levels of LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG, indicating overall lipid balance.
TG	Supports normal fat metabolism and energy use in the body.
HDL-c	Helps carry cholesterol from the bloodstream to the liver for removal, supporting healthy cholesterol balance.

 

Examples of Research Linking Blood Lipid and Cholesterol Levels to Longevity

• Stamler and colleagues followed more than 80,000 adult men for up to three decades and found that participants with desirable TC levels (below 200 mg/dL [5.17 mmol/L]) tended to experience better long-term heart and overall health compared with those with higher TC.[7]
• A meta-analysis combining nine studies with over 12,000 participants found that individuals meeting more heart-health metrics — including maintaining healthy cholesterol levels — were more likely to enjoy better heart and overall wellness than those meeting fewer metrics.[8]
• Mortensen and colleagues studied more than 90,000 adults and observed that participants with lower LDL-c levels (below 3.0 mmol/L or 116 mg/dL) generally had healthier heart and circulation profiles than those with higher LDL-c levels. The benefits appeared most pronounced among younger adults, suggesting that maintaining healthy cholesterol early in life may support long-term heart health.[9]

These findings underscore the role that cholesterol management can play in supporting long-term health and reducing heart-related conditions.

Final words

In the journey toward a longer, healthier life, maintaining balanced blood lipid and cholesterol levels plays an important supporting role.

While they are not the only factors that influence longevity, they are well-established markers of heart and metabolic health.

Everyone’s body and health history are different, so it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to determine the cholesterol goals that are right for you.

A heart-healthy lifestyle—built on balanced nutrition, the use of vitamins and supplements where needed, regular physical activity, and regular health checkups—remains one of the best ways to support overall wellness.

Stay well,

Derek Tang, PhD, MS, BSPharm

Truth Full Health

Your Trusted Supplement Partner

*Disclaimer: all blogged content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High cholesterol facts. Published October 24, 2024. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/data-research/facts-stats/index.html

[2] WebMD. Can cholesterol be too low? Published May 21, 2023. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/cholesterol-too-low

[3] Harvard Health Publishing. LDL cholesterol: How low can you (safely) go? Published January 20, 2020. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ldl-cholesterol-how-low-can-you-safely-go-2020012018638

[4] Cleveland Clinic. HDL cholesterol. Published June 2, 2025. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24395-hdl-cholesterol

[5] WebMD. Can high levels of “good” cholesterol be bad for you? Published June 20, 2024. Accessed November 9, 2025. https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/good-cholesterol-too-high

[6] Title: Association Between High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in High-risk Populations. First author: C Liu. Journal: JAMA Cardiology. Year of publication: 2022.

[7] Title: Relationship of Baseline Serum Cholesterol Levels in 3 Large Cohorts of Younger Men to Long-term Coronary, Cardiovascular, and All-Cause Mortality and to Longevity. First author: J Stamler. Journal: JAMA. Year of publication: 2000.

[8] Title: Ideal cardiovascular health metrics and risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality: A meta-analysis. First author: N Fang. Journal: International Journal of Cardiology. Year of publication: 2016.

[9] Title: Elevated LDL cholesterol and increased risk of myocardial infarction and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in individuals aged 70–100 years: a contemporary primary prevention cohort.
First author: MB Mortensen. Journal: The Lancet. Year of publication: 2020.