According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health benefits of getting enough exercise include improved brain health, weight management, reduced risk of disease, stronger muscles and bones, and improved ability to perform daily tasks. there is.
One of the lesser-known benefits of working out and getting enough time at the gym is that exercise can improve your cholesterol levels.
“Exercise is one of the most effective tools for lowering LDL cholesterol levels,” says Kelly Jones, RD, a performance dietitian and owner and founder of Student Athlete Nutrition.
However, not all types of cholesterol are bad, and it is the “bad” LDL type that you need to reduce.
The best way is Lowering LDL cholesterol levels and improving heart health requires dietary choices Experts say these include reducing saturated fat, eliminating trans fat, and getting enough omega-3s, soluble fiber, and whey protein.
Your physical fitness also plays a role.
“Research shows that exercise can help lower cholesterol levels, but the most significant changes occur when you combine exercise with a healthy diet,” says Dr. McConlogue, a clinical associate professor of athletics at Missouri State University. says Natalie Allen, who is also the department's team nutritionist.
Not only does diet and exercise help lower LDL cholesterol levels, regular exercise also increases HDL cholesterol levels, the “good” HDL cholesterol needed to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
“Exercise lowers LDL cholesterol by increasing HDL cholesterol,” says Lori Shemek, a certified nutritional consultant in Dallas and author of How to Fight Fat Inflammation. He says that the increased HDL levels caused by exercise “act as a broom that sweeps away LDL cholesterol.”
While running and brisk walking are two of the most studied forms of exercise when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels, Shemek says, “It's not just aerobic exercise that lowers cholesterol; so does strength training.”
She says the most “ideal cholesterol-lowering recipe” is to combine aerobic exercise with various forms of strength training, such as weightlifting, push-ups, and squats.
“I always say the best exercise is the type of exercise you can stick to over a long period of time,” says Jones. “At the same time, if the goal of exercise is really to reduce cholesterol, moderate to vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise may be best.”
Jones cites examples such as walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming, dancing, and intramural sports.
“Engaging in these forms of exercise increases fat metabolism, which in turn lowers LDL levels,” she says.
Lowering LDL cholesterol levels through exercise does not happen overnight.
“It may take three to six months of a good diet and exercise routine to see an effect on your cholesterol levels, so be patient,” says Allen.
Jones recommends that people who want or need to lower their LDL cholesterol levels faster talk to their doctor about suitable medications.
“It's also important to recognize that changes in cholesterol levels may be less pronounced in people with strong genetic risk factors,” she says. “Still continuing to exercise is important to support long-term heart health and manage inflammation, which can impact the risk of more serious cardiac events.”
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