What Are HDL Levels in Athletes?

HDL levels in athletes register significantly higher than those in sedentary individuals. People who frequently exercise enjoy the health benefit of increased high density lipoproteins (HDL), a substance that clears excess cholesterol from the body.

Identification

• The liver produces both HDL and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) to serve as carriers of cholesterol and fats throughout the circulatory system. HDL is considered the “good” form of cholesterol with elevated amounts of HDL suggesting a healthy cholesterol balance.

Significance

• Exercise jump-starts the production of HDL. “Within two months of starting, frequent aerobic exercise can increase HDL cholesterol by about 5 percent in otherwise healthy sedentary adults,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

Athletes

• Athletes exercising vigorously experience the same results. “Endurance-trained athletes have much higher HDL-C values compared to sedentary populations,” says Dr. Len Kravitz of the University of New Mexico. “The primary reason for the elevation in HDL-C is an increase in lipoprotein lipase activity.”

Types

• HDL-C is one of the 5 classifications of HDL while lipoprotein lipase is a bloodstream enzyme that breaks down fat in LDL for fuel and transforms this “bad” cholesterol into “good” HDL.

Benefits

• Athletic exercise trains the body to produce more lipoprotein lipase and turn fat into fuel for muscles while encouraging the production of HDL.