Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in your body that performs many important functions. Too much of it, however, can increase your risk for heart disease and other conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100 million Americans have unhealthy cholesterol levels. You can reduce your cholesterol by participating regularly in aerobic and strength-training exercises.
Aerobic Exercise
In an April 2007 study published in the journal "Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental," lead author Amy Halverstadt concluded that regular aerobic exercise training lowered total cholesterol levels and lowered "bad" cholesterol, or LDL. She also found that HDL, or "good" cholesterol, was increased after a period of aerobic exercise training. The American Council on Exercise suggests doing aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes at a moderate intensity on most days of the week and increasing your exercise time as your fitness improves. Some examples of aerobic exercise include brisk walking, jogging, cycling and swimming.
Strength Training
Participating in regular strength training exercises can have many benefits, including positively impacting your cholesterol levels. A 1999 study published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" concluded that regular strength training can lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and body fat percentage. Strength-training activities, including weight lifting or exercises, that use any other type of resistance, help you increase your muscle mass, which can improve your metabolism. Because of this, strength training may also help you lose weight, which also helps lower your cholesterol levels. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends strength-training exercises that work your major muscle groups at least two times each week.
Lifestyle Activity
In addition to planned, structured aerobic and strength-training exercises, lifestyle physical activity can also help lower your cholesterol. Lifestyle physical activity refers to activities that are already a part of your life. These kinds of activities include gardening and yard work, cleaning your house, shoveling snow, taking the stairs when possible or walking to complete your errands instead of taking your car. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia reports that doing more of these activities every day can help keep your weight under control and have an impact on your heart health. These activities may seem small, but doing some each day can have a significant impact on your health and cholesterol.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: September is National Cholesterol Education Month
- "Metabolism Clinical and Experimental"; Endurance Exercise Training Raises High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Lowers Small Low-Density Lipoprotein; April 2007
- American Council on Exercise: Fit Facts: Managing Cholesterol with Exercise
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Effect of 14 Weeks of Resistance Training on Lipid Profile and Body Fat Percentage in Premenopausal Women; 1999
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., ed.; 2010
