4 evidence-based ways to lower LDL cholesterol levels
Table of contents
- Introduction
- How to lower LDL? Get enough exercise
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Avoid saturated fats and fried food
- Curb cigarette smoking
- Conclusion
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Don’t know why your cholesterol is so high or how to lower LDL cholesterol levels? Read on to discover 4 different ways to lower LDL—and consider monitoring cholesterol levels with our home cholesterol test kit.
Introduction
You may have heard that high blood levels of LDL cholesterol can be hard on your health – and for good reason. Medical research has shown that elevated LDL levels can significantly bump up the odds of getting a heart attack (as higher amounts of LDL in the blood can clog your arteries with cholesterol plaques).
However, on a cheerier note, there are very practical things you can do to keep your LDL levels in check and protect your well-being.
How to lower LDL? Get enough exercise
You may know that working out can provide a number of different benefits for the body—but does exercise lower LDL cholesterol? Studies show that aerobic exercise and resistance training are both effective at lowering the body’s cholesterol level (particularly LDL).
In numerous studies, regular exercise has proven to be quite effective at lowering high LDL cholesterol levels. Some discoveries in this area suggest that exercise can coax your skeletal muscles to burn lipids like LDL for fuel – instead of just glycogen (a form of glucose which muscles primarily use for energy).
Most research indicates that what matters most for dropping your LDL level is the amount of exercise, rather than the intensity. And – in terms of the type of exercise – it appears that aerobic exercise and resistance training are both effective at lowering LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels.
So, word to the wise: if you’re looking to optimize your cholesterol levels, consider taking up a regular exercise schedule – and try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5x a week. Consistent exercise is one of the most beneficial lifestyle changes and can not only lower high cholesterol, but may also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, assist in weight loss, and more.
That being said, even people maintaining a healthy lifestyle can experience high cholesterol (though this isn't as likely), so consult with your healthcare provider if you do notice that you have high cholesterol as a healthy person.
Maintain a healthy body weight
Maintaining a healthy body weight can help keep your LDL levels down – including levels of small dense LDL.
Obesity is a risk factor for higher-than-normal LDL levels – and particularly for increased levels of small dense LDL.
Small dense LDL (a specific type of LDL) can be especially dangerous to your health since it takes more time for your body to metabolically eliminate these LDL particles compared to other types of LDL. Therefore, small dense LDL particles stay in your blood longer – increasing the likelihood that they’ll clog up your arteries.
Not surprisingly, then, maintaining a healthy body weight can help keep your LDL levels down – including levels of small dense LDL. (Exercise, of course, is one good way to maintain a healthy weight – and, as mentioned above, exercise also has a more direct influence on LDL levels through its effect on skeletal muscles). And for those experiencing obesity, weight loss may help lower “bad cholesterol” in the body and reduce the risk of other health issues.
Avoid saturated fats and fried food
Fried foods typically have a high amount of trans fatty acids (TFA), which elevates the body’s LDL level.
Saturated fats can ramp up your body’s production of LDL, so reducing your consumption of saturated fats can lower LDL cholesterol levels. (Common sources of saturated fat include pizza, dairy-based desserts, and red meat.)
Some experts recommend replacing saturated fat in one’s diet with soluble, fiber-rich foods like fresh fruit and raw vegetables – as well as with foods that have a low glycemic index – as opposed to carbohydrate-rich meals, which can bump up your triglyceride levels. (And high triglyceride levels can put you at a greater risk of heart disease – not to mention other adverse health consequences.)
It may also be a good idea to eat fewer fried foods and switch to a more nutritious, healthy diet to lower your triglyceride levels and LDL cholesterol (triglycerides are a kind of fat in the body). Fried foods typically have a high amount of trans fatty acids (TFA), which elevates the body’s LDL levels. Staying away from these types of unhealthy foods may help improve your heart health and overall well-being. (You can check in on key indicators of heart health with the Everlywell at-home Heart Health Test.)
Curb cigarette smoking
Quitting cigarette smoking can significantly improve the body’s LDL cholesterol numbers.
Many different studies have shown that cigarette smoking can hike up LDL levels. It’s possible that smoking causes higher levels of LDL because smoking contributes to insulin resistance. The body must then pump out more insulin into circulation – and because insulin affects molecular pathways that regulate LDL levels, the concentration of LDL in the blood can rise as a result of smoking. So quitting cigarette smoking can significantly improve the body’s LDL levels.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve read these tips on how to lower LDL, consider making some diet and/or lifestyle changes (though it’s a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider first about the tips listed above). LDL levels that are too high can put the body’s health in danger–by increasing the risk of heart disease, for example–so it’s important that one’s cholesterol numbers fall within a normal, healthy range.
An easy, convenient way you can check and monitor your LDL levels is with the Everlywell at-home Cholesterol and Lipids Test (this test also measures your triglyceride levels, as well as HDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels).
If you learn that your LDL cholesterol level is not where you would like it to be, making some simple lifestyle changes–like the ones described above–may help get your LDL levels, and health, on the right track.
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