Do you have elevated cholesterol levels? You’re not alone – almost 10-17% of American adults 20 years or older have poor cholesterol levels. As common as it is, high cholesterol can be dangerous over time, with many studies indicating a strong association with heart disease and stroke risk. The good news is cholesterol management is relatively easy to achieve! This month’s newsletter will clarify common questions about cholesterol and address management tactics through lifestyle modifications.
What is Cholesterol?
In brief, cholesterol is a type of fat that is used to build up different parts of the body. Cholesterol is found in the brain and spinal cord and plays many different roles in hormone management and overall health. However, too much of a good thing can be an issue, so it is important to keep your values in check.
Reading Your Lab Report
In recent years, lab reports for blood tests have become more patient-friendly, using color coding to show what values are normal or out of range. However, the lipid panel can be a tricky part to navigate. Here are the four values that are assessed in the lipid panel:
- High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) – think of this as “healthy cholesterol”; HDL returns circulating cholesterol to the liver for removal and is known to have a protective effect on heart health.
- Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) – think of this as “lousy cholesterol”; high levels of LDL can be risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
- Triglycerides – a form of fat in the blood that is used to create energy for us to use.
- Total Cholesterol – the overall total of HDL, LDL, and triglycerides in your blood.
Together, these results are used to determine cholesterol levels, and in turn, help your doctor identify your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Management with Lifestyle Changes
While high cholesterol can be treated with medication, research consistently shows that long-term management through lifestyle modification is key to preserving heart health! Stress management, smoking cessation, dietary fat and sugar reduction, and exercise are all strongly linked to reducing cholesterol.
Exercise and Cholesterol
Out of the many ways you can reduce cholesterol levels, exercise is one of the easiest ones to start and commit to! Additionally, it is very well known through research for being especially good at doing so. Current research suggests that all forms of exercise significantly reduce blood levels of LDL and triglycerides. There is relatively no difference in cholesterol reduction from doing cardio compared to resistance training, or a combination of both. So, choose something that you enjoy!
The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of physical activity for 5-6 days a week to lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health. Here are some simple ways you can add this into your day:
- Taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator or escalator
- Going for a speed walk after dinner
- Using the treadmill while taking Zoom calls or watching TV
- Playing with your kids outside
- Doing a few squats, lunges, and wall push-ups before making breakfast
A comparison of many different studies found that each week of combination exercise training reduced cholesterol by 0.5 mg/dL. Furthermore, each minute of aerobic exercise sessions increased HDL by 2.11 mg/dL!
The most important thing is consistency! Regular exercise will help manage your cholesterol levels, but it may take upwards of 8 months to a year to see the changes in your bloodwork. Don’t lose hope, though – remember, wellness is a marathon, not a sprint!
In summary, high cholesterol levels are easy to manage with small changes to your daily routine. Adding in a quick session of intentional movement each day can make an impact on your overall health both in the moment, and long-term. Make sure to talk to your doctor about any changes you implement, especially if you are already on cholesterol-lowering medications.
Author: Hafsah Khan, Dietetic Intern
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 20). Testing for cholesterol. Cholesterol. https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/testing/index.html
Liang, M., Pan, Y., Zhong, T., Zeng, Y., & Cheng, A. S.K. (2021). Effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise on metabolic syndrome parameters and cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, 22(4), 1523. https://doi.org/10.31083/j.rcm2204156
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2022, March 24). Blood cholesterol – causes and risk factors | NHLBI, NIH. Www.nhlbi.nih.gov. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/blood-cholesterol/causes
Smart, N. A., Downes, D., van der Touw, T., Hada, S., Dieberg, G., Pearson, M. J., Wolden, M., King, N., & Goodman, S. P. J. (2024). The effect of exercise training on blood lipids: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 55(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-024-02115-z