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How to Reduce Direct LDL

Just mentioning cholesterol can evoke a negative response from people who aren't educated about the subject. Cholesterol, when it is found in healthy levels, is not a bad thing. Your body needs it to protect nerves and make cell tissues. However, too much LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” floating around your bloodstream can line the walls of your arteries with plaque, causing them to narrow and increase your risk of heart disease. The good news is that there are several steps you can take to bring down your LDL levels and decrease your risk of developing heart disease.

Things You'll Need

  • Cholesterol test
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Instructions

  1. What is Direct LDL?

    • 1

      Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the dominant cholesterol carrier in the blood. Cholesterol cannot dissolve itself, it needs to be transported to the liver, which removes it from the body. If you have too much LDL in your bloodstream, it begins to get stuck on your artery walls, narrowing the vessels and eventually leading to atherosclerosis.

    • 2

      Direct LDL is a measurement obtained by a blood draw when you are not fasting. A level of 100 to 128 milligrams/deciliter is the ideal level. A level of 130 to 159 is borderline high, and anything 160 or over would be considered high.

    • 3

      Don't confuse LDL with HDL (high-density lipoprotein). HDL is not as abundant as LDL, but it efficiently shuttles cholesterol to the liver for disposal. Anything above a level of 40 milligrams/deciliter in men and 50 in women is considered optimal. The higher the level, the more protection you have against heart disease.

    Lower Your LDL

    • 4

      Watch what you eat. Animals produce their own cholesterol levels, so if you eat meat, make it as lean as possible. Dairy products are high in saturated fat, so consume low-fat dairy products. Eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruit.

    • 5

      Get off the couch. Exercising makes your body much more efficient, decreases the amount of fat in your body, lowers blood pressure, lowers LDL levels, and makes your heart a stronger muscle. According to the American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine 2009 guidelines, all adults between the ages of 18-65 years of age should get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week.

    • 6

      Consider medication. For some people, exercise and a healthy diet isn’t enough. Sometimes people just have bad genes and are predisposed to high cholesterol. In this case, your doctor may prescribe a statin drug (Lipitor, Pravachol, Mevachor, Crestor, Zocor, etc.) to help your liver more effectively dispose of cholesterol.

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