Exercise can help lower your levels of low-density lipoprotein --- the "bad" cholesterol, commonly abbreviated LDL. High levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with increased risk for heart disease --- which means that keeping your cholesterol in check is an important part of staying healthy. Regular exercise decreases LDL cholesterol by increasing levels of high density lipoprotein --- HDL, the "good" cholesterol" --- as well as controlling your weight. Before starting any exercise program, consult your doctor.
Exercise and LDL
Levels LDL cholesterol can be lowered with regular exercise. Unlike fat, for example, cholesterol is not useful as a fuel during exercise, explains Ralph La Forge, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center. However, adaptations to your weight and cardiovascular fitness and health make it possible to reduce LDL levels with regular exercise. There is a dose-response relationship with exercise and cholesterol: The more exercise you get, the better the cholesterol-lowering response.
Exercise and HDL
HDL cholesterol is also affected by exercise --- regular training increases your levels of it. This is beneficial for reducing LDL cholesterol because HDL works as a scavenger. As HDL circulates through your bloodstream, it picks up unnecessary cholesterol and brings it to the liver for disposal. Regular exercise has also been linked to stimulating the liver to convert LDL into HDL cholesterol, La Forge notes.
Weight
Regular exercise helps you lower your weight or assists in maintaining a healthy body weight --- and, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute advises, keeping your body weight in a good range can also lead to lower LDL levels. The amount of exercise it takes to reduce your LDL cholesterol is virtually the same as the amount recommended for weight loss, so following the exercise guidelines for reducing your cholesterol should also lead to weight loss.
Exercise Prescription
To reduce your LDL, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, La Forge recommends you begin a plan of 20 to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three to four days per week. Over the next six to eight weeks, increase the duration of your workout sessions to 60 minutes six to seven days per week. Get your doctor's approval before starting any new exercise regimen, particularly if you have been sedentary or have other health concerns. Keep your exercise at a moderate to moderately hard intensity to improve your level of fitness. The key to reducing your LDL cholesterol is consistency.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Treatments and Lowering High Blood Pressure
- American Council on Exercise; Managing Cholesterol With Exercise; Ralph La Forge, M.S.
- MayoClinic.com; HDL Cholesterol: How To Boost Your 'Good' Cholesterol; June 4, 2011
- "Anatomy and Physiology"; Kenneth S. Saladin; 2004
