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How Much Can I Reduce Cholesterol With Exercise?

Too much cholesterol in the body can bring about heart disease, so learning how to reduce cholesterol levels in the body can help to prevent a future heart attack. And although reducing fat intake is often the first suggestion made about reducing cholesterol levels, participating in an aerobic exercise program at the same time is generally suggested by doctors as well.

  1. Exercise

    • Physical exercise has many benefits. It strengthens the heart, keeps muscles flexible, and helps to keep blood flowing throughout the body, providing nutrients to organs and cells. But in order to reduce cholesterol, physical exercise must be done on a very consistent basis (daily, or at least 6 days a week), and the exercise will need to burn a minimum of 800 calories each week, according to www.Health.MSN.com (see Resources).

    Aerobic Exercise

    • Participation in daily aerobic exercises for a minimum of 30 minutes---like fast-paced or long-distance walking, swimming, running or playing tennis---gets the heart rate up high enough to burn 800 calories or more each week. In addition, exercise helps the body to raise HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and lower triglyceride cholesterol levels by 15 to 25 percent.

    Triglyceride Cholesterol Reduction

    • So by walking at least 8 miles per week, or vigorously doing aerobic exercise for 30 minutes every day (at least 6 days a week), an individual can reduce triglyceride cholesterol levels by at least 15 percent---and maybe as much as 25 percent, according to www.Health.MSN.com (see Resources).

    LDL Cholesterol Reduction

    • According to www.Health.MSN.com, reductions in LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) have also been seen---between 5 and 19 percent---when the same exercise consistency and intensity have been undertaken as mentioned earlier. However, lowering of LDL has usually consisted of dietary changes, too, not just exercise.

    Significant

    • It is estimated that exercise activity needs to be intense enough to burn approximately 350 calories during the 30-minute session. In addition, reductions in cholesterol seen as a result of exercise are not realized overnight, usually taking between 3 and 6 months before level reduction is recordable. And, not everyone will experience a decrease in LDL or triglyceride cholesterol levels due to exercise. This is due to genetics and other factors.

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