Exercises to lower cholesterol: Types, duration, and more

Regular exercise can lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of adverse health outcomes. Good physical activity options include brisk walking, running, and resistance training.

The American Heart Association (AHA) advise people to aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol helps the body build cells, make vitamins and hormones, and digest some fatty foods. However, high levels of LDL cholesterol can be dangerous and put a person at risk of several health issues, including heart attack and stroke.

In this article, we look at whether exercise lowers cholesterol. We also explain which types of physical activity to try and suggest other ways in which a person can manage their cholesterol.

It is worth noting that there are two main types of cholesterol in a person’s body: LDL cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol.

When people talk about lowering their cholesterol levels, they are referring to LDL cholesterol. About 38% of adults in the United States have high LDL cholesterol.

According to the AHA, 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week is enough to lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure.

Exercise can also help raise HDL cholesterol. A 2013 study showed that walking for 1 hour a day on 5 days of the week for 24 weeks increased the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body.

A 2015 study supported this finding, showing that the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body increased after regular high intensity strength training three times per week for 10 weeks.

Regular exercise can also help in various other ways, including:

• helping a person reach or maintain a moderate body weight
• improving mental health
• building muscle and bone strength
• boosting energy levels and reducing fatigue

A person can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol in their body in other ways, too. These include:

• eating a healthy diet
• reducing the levels of saturated fats and trans fats in the diet
• reducing alcohol consumption
• maintaining a moderate body weight
• quitting smoking
• reducing stress
• getting a good amount of sleep

Regular exercise is a good way to get fit and healthy and reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Below, we list some of the forms of exercises that can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Walking

Regular brisk walks offer many health benefits. In one study, people who walked for 1 hour a day on 5 days of the week saw a reduction in the amount of LDL cholesterol in their body.

Walking regularly and at a brisk pace is a good way to keep fit and healthy, and this activity is often easier to manage and carry out than running.

A 2013 review compared walking with running. It stated that as long as the amount of energy a person expended was the same, both moderate walking and vigorous running reduced the risk of a number of heart-related issues by the same amount.

Running

Regular running also offers plenty of health benefits. It can help people get fit, lose weight, and improve their mental health.

A 2019 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine linked any amount of running to a 27% lower risk of all causes of death.

Running can also help reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in a person’s blood.

The above review shows that any amount of running is good for a person’s health. However, a much older study showed that people who ran longer distances had more significant reductions in the levels of LDL cholesterol in their blood.

Cycling

Cycling is another effective way of lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that people who cycled to work were less likely to have high cholesterol than individuals who did not.

The authors also noted that cycling to work led to a lower risk of several cardiovascular health issues.

Resistance training

Resistance training increases muscle strength by making the muscles work against a form of resistance. People may also refer to resistance training as weight training.

Resistance training can include the use of weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells, weight machines that a person would find in a gym, or the person’s own body weight.

Common resistance training exercises include:

• pushups
• stomach crunches
• weightlifting, such as chest presses, dead lifts, or curls
• squats

A 2014 review found that premenopausal individuals who underwent supervised resistance training sessions saw the amounts of total and LDL cholesterol in their body reduce over 14 weeks.

The participants took part in the resistance training three times a week, with each session lasting 40–50 minutes.

Organized sports and other activities

Other sports and activities can also be beneficial for lowering cholesterol and improving general health.

The main factors to consider are how much energy the body uses up doing the sport or activity and how often a person engages in it.

The following sports and activities can help:

• swimming
• yoga
• team sports, such as basketball, football, or soccer
• high intensity interval training (HIIT)

The World Health Organization (WHO) state that adults should undertake a certain amount of exercise each week to stay healthy. However, they point out that 1 in 4 adults around the world do not meet the global recommended levels of physical activity.

The WHO recommend that adults aim for one of the following:

• at least 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity per week
• at least 75–150 minutes of more vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity each week
• an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity throughout the week

Tracking the heart rate during exercise can help a person reach their fitness or weight loss goals. Heart rate is a good indicator of how much effort a person is putting in when exercising.

The AHA recommend that people reach 50–85% of their maximum heart rate when exercising.

They explain that a person can calculate their maximum heart rate by subtracting their age from 220 to give them a value in beats per minute (bpm).

For example, a 30-year-old would subtract 30 from 220, giving them a maximum heart rate of about 190 bpm.

Scientists measure cholesterol in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dl.

More specifically, the desired level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100 mg/dl, and the optimum level of HDL cholesterol is greater than or equal to 60 mg/dl.

When a person gets a blood lipid test to measure these levels, their doctor can help them understand what the results mean for their health.

If a person’s cholesterol levels are not within the healthy ranges, their doctor can help them develop a personalized treatment plan. This plan may include recommended exercise and dietary changes. In some cases, a doctor may also suggest other treatments.

A person can combat high cholesterol by exercising regularly. Forms of exercise that help a person lower their total and LDL cholesterol levels include walking, running, cycling, and swimming. Often, these exercises can also help raise the levels of a person’s HDL cholesterol.

A person may also lower their levels of LDL cholesterol by making certain lifestyle changes, such as improving their diet and quitting smoking.

Exercises to lower cholesterol: Types, duration, and more

Regular exercise can lower cholesterol, reducing the risk of adverse health outcomes. Good physical activity options include brisk walking, running, and resistance training.

The American Heart Association (AHA) advise people to aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week to lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol helps the body build cells, make vitamins and hormones, and digest some fatty foods. However, high levels of LDL cholesterol can be dangerous and put a person at risk of several health issues, including heart attack and stroke.

In this article, we look at whether exercise lowers cholesterol. We also explain which types of physical activity to try and suggest other ways in which a person can manage their cholesterol.

It is worth noting that there are two main types of cholesterol in a person’s body: LDL cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol.

When people talk about lowering their cholesterol levels, they are referring to LDL cholesterol. About 38% of adults in the United States have high LDL cholesterol.

According to the AHA, 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week is enough to lower cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure.

Exercise can also help raise HDL cholesterol. A 2013 study showed that walking for 1 hour a day on 5 days of the week for 24 weeks increased the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body.

A 2015 study supported this finding, showing that the levels of HDL cholesterol in the body increased after regular high intensity strength training three times per week for 10 weeks.

Regular exercise can also help in various other ways, including:

• helping a person reach or maintain a moderate body weight
• improving mental health
• building muscle and bone strength
• boosting energy levels and reducing fatigue

A person can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol in their body in other ways, too. These include:

• eating a healthy diet
• reducing the levels of saturated fats and trans fats in the diet
• reducing alcohol consumption
• maintaining a moderate body weight
• quitting smoking
• reducing stress
• getting a good amount of sleep

Regular exercise is a good way to get fit and healthy and reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Below, we list some of the forms of exercises that can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

Walking

Regular brisk walks offer many health benefits. In one study, people who walked for 1 hour a day on 5 days of the week saw a reduction in the amount of LDL cholesterol in their body.

Walking regularly and at a brisk pace is a good way to keep fit and healthy, and this activity is often easier to manage and carry out than running.

A 2013 review compared walking with running. It stated that as long as the amount of energy a person expended was the same, both moderate walking and vigorous running reduced the risk of a number of heart-related issues by the same amount.

Running

Regular running also offers plenty of health benefits. It can help people get fit, lose weight, and improve their mental health.

A 2019 review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine linked any amount of running to a 27% lower risk of all causes of death.

Running can also help reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in a person’s blood.

The above review shows that any amount of running is good for a person’s health. However, a much older study showed that people who ran longer distances had more significant reductions in the levels of LDL cholesterol in their blood.

Cycling

Cycling is another effective way of lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that people who cycled to work were less likely to have high cholesterol than individuals who did not.

The authors also noted that cycling to work led to a lower risk of several cardiovascular health issues.

Resistance training

Resistance training increases muscle strength by making the muscles work against a form of resistance. People may also refer to resistance training as weight training.

Resistance training can include the use of weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells, weight machines that a person would find in a gym, or the person’s own body weight.

Common resistance training exercises include:

• pushups
• stomach crunches
• weightlifting, such as chest presses, dead lifts, or curls
• squats

A 2014 review found that premenopausal individuals who underwent supervised resistance training sessions saw the amounts of total and LDL cholesterol in their body reduce over 14 weeks.

The participants took part in the resistance training three times a week, with each session lasting 40–50 minutes.

Organized sports and other activities

Other sports and activities can also be beneficial for lowering cholesterol and improving general health.

The main factors to consider are how much energy the body uses up doing the sport or activity and how often a person engages in it.

The following sports and activities can help:

• swimming
• yoga
• team sports, such as basketball, football, or soccer
• high intensity interval training (HIIT)

The World Health Organization (WHO) state that adults should undertake a certain amount of exercise each week to stay healthy. However, they point out that 1 in 4 adults around the world do not meet the global recommended levels of physical activity.

The WHO recommend that adults aim for one of the following:

• at least 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity per week
• at least 75–150 minutes of more vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity each week
• an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity throughout the week

Tracking the heart rate during exercise can help a person reach their fitness or weight loss goals. Heart rate is a good indicator of how much effort a person is putting in when exercising.

The AHA recommend that people reach 50–85% of their maximum heart rate when exercising.

They explain that a person can calculate their maximum heart rate by subtracting their age from 220 to give them a value in beats per minute (bpm).

For example, a 30-year-old would subtract 30 from 220, giving them a maximum heart rate of about 190 bpm.

Scientists measure cholesterol in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the desirable level of total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dl.

More specifically, the desired level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100 mg/dl, and the optimum level of HDL cholesterol is greater than or equal to 60 mg/dl.

When a person gets a blood lipid test to measure these levels, their doctor can help them understand what the results mean for their health.

If a person’s cholesterol levels are not within the healthy ranges, their doctor can help them develop a personalized treatment plan. This plan may include recommended exercise and dietary changes. In some cases, a doctor may also suggest other treatments.

A person can combat high cholesterol by exercising regularly. Forms of exercise that help a person lower their total and LDL cholesterol levels include walking, running, cycling, and swimming. Often, these exercises can also help raise the levels of a person’s HDL cholesterol.

A person may also lower their levels of LDL cholesterol by making certain lifestyle changes, such as improving their diet and quitting smoking.

Folk remedies for lowering cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol leads over time to vascular atherosclerosis, and hence to coronary heart disease (complication – heart attack), acute vascular disorders of the brain (stroke), is a strong pathological link in type 2 diabetes mellitus , with glaucoma (ischemic type) and age-related macular degeneration of the retina.

First, the liver and a number of cells produce approximately 75% of cholesterol. The remaining 25% comes from food (from animal products)

Dietary cholesterol is found in food

Dietary cholesterol is what is found in food and ultimately in the food we eat. It is mainly of animal origin. In one egg, for example, 275 mg; it’s not in the apple.

Serum cholesterol is found in the blood

Serum cholesterol circulates in the blood and doctors measure it with a special test. There are two main types of cholesterol in the blood.

• HDL-cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein) – good cholesterol, is a type of serum cholesterol that is considered “good” because of its ability to clean the arteries: the higher its level, the better.
• LDL-cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) – bad cholesterol, this is the “evil twin” of HDL, which clogs the arteries. The lower its level, the better.

CNN blood cholesterol:

• Optimal: below 5.2 mmol/L
• Maximum allowed: 5.2-6.2 mmol/l
• High: above 6. 2 mmol/l

Cholesterol Diet

Here are 10 ways to lower your cholesterol:

• Reduce your intake of dietary fat. Saturated fats, by far, have the most significant effect on cholesterol levels. So, it would be wise to cut down on sources of saturated fat such as fatty meats, butter, cheese, and refined oils. Whenever possible, replace these foods with fish, poultry, or low-fat dairy products.
• Switch to olive oil. Olive oil and some other foods, such as nuts, avocados, are high in a completely different fat – monounsaturated. It was found that monounsaturated fats reduce only LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, while HDL (“good”) cholesterol is left untouched. So stick to a lean diet, then add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil daily. Be careful to replace other fats with monounsaturated fats, and not just add to them.
• Do not eat a lot of eggs. But this does not mean that you should completely eliminate them from your diet. Although eggs contain a huge amount of cholesterol (275 mg each), Dr. McNamara estimates that approximately 2/3 of the population can handle the extra dietary cholesterol without experiencing an increase in serum cholesterol levels. This is because the body adjusts to high levels of consumption by reducing its production of cholesterol and excreting the excess. In one of his studies, 50 patients ate up to 3 large eggs daily for 6 weeks. Less than a third of them had high cholesterol levels afterwards. If you want to eat an egg and still avoid the risk, limit your consumption to 3 eggs per week.
• Load up on beans. Nutritious and inexpensive, beans and other legumes contain a water-soluble fiber called pectin, which surrounds cholesterol and flushes it out of the body before it gets into trouble.
• Monitor body weight. The fatter you are, the more cholesterol your body produces. A twenty-year study in the Netherlands concluded that body weight is the single most important determinant of serum cholesterol. Each 0.5 kg increase in body weight raises cholesterol levels by 2 levels. And the famous Framingham Heart Study found a clear link between blood cholesterol and body weight.
• Eat more fruit. Fruits also have the ability to lower cholesterol due to the presence of pectin in them. Gastroenterologist James Cerda at the University of Florida Health Sciences Center found that grapefruit pectin, found in the pulp and skin, lowered cholesterol by an average of 7.6% in 8 weeks. Eat lots of other fruits. If you, for example, eat half a grapefruit for breakfast, an apple for lunch, a few orange slices for lunch, you may be able to significantly reduce your cholesterol.
• Oats and barley remove cholesterol and fats. Beta glucan is a soluble fiber found in oats and barley. It lowers cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. The compound beta glucan just reduces the concentration of harmful cholesterol, without affecting the useful one. It dissolves in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a dense gel. This gel binds to excess cholesterol and saturated fat. Thus, they are not absorbed by the body, but are excreted naturally. Experts believe that the optimal amount of beta glucan intake is at least 3 grams per day. The effect can be observed after six weeks.
• Call a carrot for help. “Carrots also lower cholesterol because they contain pectin,” says Peter D. Hoagland, PhD, USDA’s Eastern Research Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In fact, people with high cholesterol only need to eat 2 carrots a day to reduce it by 10-20%.
• Exercise. Rhode Island cardiologist Paul D. Thompson, associate professor of medicine at Brown University, thinks it’s possible that exercise reduces the cholesterol blockage that has accumulated in the arteries. “One of the best ways to raise protective HDL levels,” he says, “is intense exercise, which also lowers unwanted LDL levels a little.”
• Do not smoke. Here’s another reason to quit smoking. In a study by New Orleans researcher David S. Friedmon, M.D., teenage boys who smoked as little as 20 cigarettes a week experienced significant increases in blood cholesterol levels. In addition, research has shown that smokers have low levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. However, when a group of heavy smokers quit smoking, all of them rapidly and significantly increased their HDL levels.

Top 5 Natural Remedies to Fight High Cholesterol

Baku, December 14, AZERTAC

Statins, which are prescribed by doctors to fight high cholesterol, can cause side effects, including headaches, muscle cramps and nausea. At the same time, there are natural ways and means of lowering cholesterol levels without drugs.

High cholesterol has no symptoms but can double your risk of heart disease and stroke. Usually, the term “high cholesterol” means too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood, the so-called bad cholesterol. High LDL cholesterol levels, especially when high HDL cholesterol levels are low, increase the risk of coronary heart disease. LDL cholesterol forms plaque in the arteries of the heart, which can build up over time, clot, and block the arteries, leading to chest pain or a heart attack.

Scientists have found red rice to be very useful in the fight against high cholesterol. But there are other natural remedies that are effective in lowering high cholesterol levels, reports AZERTAC, citing MedikForum.

Garlic. According to a review of 39 trials published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, garlic extract may reduce total cholesterol and LDL levels. Daily use of a few cloves of garlic (no more than four) gives a tangible effect of lowering blood pressure in six months.

In addition to garlic, other spices are also useful – black pepper, turmeric, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, which also help get rid of bad cholesterol.

Soluble fibers. According to the American Heart Association, soluble fiber lowers LDL cholesterol, and insoluble fiber helps reduce overall risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber is found in high amounts in oats. Other good sources of soluble fiber are fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Hawthorn. Hawthorn fruit has been used for centuries to improve heart health, and scientific studies confirm its positive effect: hawthorn can lower blood cholesterol levels. However, it should be remembered that hawthorn can interact with certain drugs, including those prescribed for cardiovascular diseases. Its reception should be discussed with the doctor.

Polyunsaturated fats. They include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Consuming these fats in moderation can lower LDL cholesterol levels without affecting HDL cholesterol levels. The best sources of polyunsaturated fats are: walnuts, fish: salmon, tuna and trout, vegetable oils: corn, sunflower.

But it is also important that the diet maintains a balance in the intake of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming too much omega-6 fatty acids can cause oxidative stress.