How Long it Will Take to Reduce Cholesterol?

The time it takes to reduce cholesterol varies with your approach and how carefully you follow your specific regimen. In general, whether you approach cholesterol management with diet and exercise, medications or both, you should have your cholesterol checked every 4 weeks after beginning a program. You should start to see progress within that first month---and even more in subsequent months---if you follow your prescribed cholesterol-lowering regimen.

Significance

• High cholesterol is one of the leading causes of heart disease because cholesterol plaque can build up in the arteries, restricting blood flow and contributing to strokes and heart attacks. Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance found in your blood vessels and cells. It serves an important purpose by manufacturing cells and some hormones. But high levels of low density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) and low levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol) can put your health at risk and should be addressed promptly.

Statin Therapy

• The development of statin medications has been one of the greatest steps forward in the treatment of heart disease. Statins, which help lower LDL production in the liver, can start to work within a couple of weeks. Statins have also been shown to raise HDL slightly. With many types of statins, such as Lipitor, you can start to see noticeable changes in your cholesterol numbers within two weeks. However, to get the fastest and most enduring results with statins, you should also eat a healthy diet and exercise most days of the week.

Exercise

• Aerobic exercise can help lower triglycerides (the chemical form of most fats in the body) and LDL, while raising HDL. You should consider doing at least 30 minutes of exercise daily to see maximum results. A vigorous walk around your neighborhood is enough to get you started. Jogging, bicycling, tennis, swimming, aerobics classes and other activities that get you moving continuously for at least half an hour will not only help manage your cholesterol, but improve circulation, lung capacity and bone and muscle health.

Diet

• Eating a diet low in saturated fats will help control your cholesterol, though it might take a few months to reverse the results of poor eating habits and see significant improvement. Saturated fats are found in non-lean meats and whole-fat dairy products. Eating foods low in cholesterol is helpful as long as they are not high in saturated fat. Foods high in fiber can also lower cholesterol, so add more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains to your diet to accelerate your cholesterol management.

Benefits

• The biggest single benefit of lowering your cholesterol is the reduction of the risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases. If you eat a healthier diet and get more exercise, you'll reap other health benefits, as well, such as having more energy and healthier bones and muscles.

Considerations

• If you don't see positive results with your attempts to lower your cholesterol within the first month, you should consult with your physician about taking additional steps, such as increasing your exercise routines, adopting a stricter low-fat, low-cholesterol diet and changing the type or dosage (or both) of your statins.

Time Frame

• It's important to realize that statins are maintenance drugs and that once you start taking them, you're likely to always need them to keep your cholesterol under control. The good news is that statins appear to provide other cardiovascular benefits, such as promoting arterial health and even some blood pressure control.