This study investigated the relationship between blood LDL-C levels and prostate cancer risk in non-hypertensive, middle-aged and older American men using cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

● The study found no significant link between LDL-C levels and prostate cancer risk in the overall study sample. However, a subgroup analysis revealed that lower LDL-C levels were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in non-hypertensive participants.
● The study also identified a threshold effect, with the risk of prostate cancer increasing when LDL-C levels fell below 67 mg/dl in non-hypertensive men.
● Additionally, the use of cholesterol-lowering prescription drugs was associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer in the non-hypertensive group.

These findings suggest that lower blood LDL-C levels may not necessarily be beneficial for non-hypertensive populations.

The study’s limitations include its cross-sectional design, which cannot establish a causal relationship between LDL-C levels and prostate cancer risk, and the lack of data on prostate cancer staging. The study concludes that in non-hypertensive, middle-aged and older American men, lower blood LDL-C levels are not necessarily better and the risk of prostate cancer increases when blood LDL-C levels drop below 67 mg/dl. This finding warrants further validation using larger sample sizes and more comprehensive analysis of prostate cancer history.

Source.