{"id":634883,"date":"2026-01-12T09:30:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=634883"},"modified":"2026-01-05T12:25:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T17:25:02","slug":"does-exercise-lower-cholesterol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/does-exercise-lower-cholesterol\/","title":{"rendered":"Does exercise actually lower cholesterol?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you have ideal cholesterol levels? That is, is your total cholesterol below 200, with your \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol between 40 (men) or 50 (women) and 80, and your \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol below 100?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is possible to have high cholesterol and not even know it. Fortunately, the condition is treatable through a combination of medication and exercise. Physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-long-does-it-take-to-lower-cholesterol\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lower your cholesterol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and reduce the risk of related medical complications.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"does-exercise-lower-cholesterol\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does exercise lower cholesterol?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, exercise lowers your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/conditions\/high-cholesterol-causes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cholesterol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. To understand the effects that movement has on your levels, you need to know several types of fat or fat-like substances in your body:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>High-density lipoprotein (HDL): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol that helps dispose of the \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Low-density lipoprotein (LDL):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol that, when there is too much, can lead to cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Triglycerides: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A type of fat that, if you have too much of it in combination with either too much LDL or too little HDL, can lead to buildup in your arteries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise affects your cholesterol by raising your good cholesterol and lowering your bad cholesterol and triglycerides.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise is not a replacement for medication in patients who meet treatment criteria, but it remains a powerful non-pharmacologic tool for improving cholesterol biology,\u201d says\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.beverlyhillscardiovascular.com\/dr-setareh-bio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sam Setareh, MD<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, director of cardiology and cardiovascular performance at Beverly Hills Cardiovascular and Longevity Institute in California.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-does-exercise-lower-cholesterol\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How does exercise lower cholesterol?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three ways exercise has a direct impact on your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/cholesterol-test\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cholesterol levels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"1-raising-hdl-levels\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Raising HDL levels<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most significant ways that exercise affects cholesterol is by increasing the amount of HDL, or \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol, in your body. HDL cholesterol is like a cleanup crew in your arteries. It moves excess cholesterol in your bloodstream to your liver, where it is converted into bile salts and removed from your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1422-0067\/24\/5\/4653\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">raises your HDL levels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as it lowers your body fat percentage, lowers your blood pressure, and helps you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. When you have healthy HDL levels, you\u2019re able to clear excess cholesterol from your system, thus leading to a better total cholesterol number.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe strongest and most consistent benefit of exercise is its ability to raise HDL levels,\u201d explains Dr. Sam Setareh. \u201cHowever, aerobic and resistance exercise do not consistently increase HDL in all individuals, which suggests that the cardiovascular benefits go beyond HDL.\u201d Improvements include better function of the cells lining blood vessels, insulin sensitivity, inflammation reduction, and a shift in LDL particle size so that there is less likelihood of forming plaques in arteries.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2-lowering-ldl-levels\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Lowering LDL levels\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise alone reduces your LDL cholesterol levels because it improves <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.physiology.org\/doi\/full\/10.1152\/ajpheart.00708.2019\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lipid metabolism<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is your body\u2019s ability to use fat for energy. As your body becomes more efficient at using fat for energy, your liver is prompted to create more LDL receptors. These receptors work to remove LDL from your system, thus lowering your LDL numbers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"3-reducing-triglycerides\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Reducing triglycerides<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/high-triglycerides-treatment-options\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High triglyceride levels<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prompt your body to make smaller, denser LDL particles. These smaller particles are more atherogenic\u2014or likely to cause plaque buildup in the arteries\u2014than larger particles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you exercise, you increase hepatic lipase and lipoprotein lipase (enzymes that help your body process fats in the bloodstream), both of which break down triglycerides. With fewer small triglycerides in your system, the average <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa020194#:~:text=Effects%20of%20Exercise%20on%20Lipoproteins&amp;text=It%20did%2C%20however%2C%20have%20important,average%20size%20of%20LDL%20particles.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">size of LDL particles changes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, creating more \u201cfluffy\u201d particles, which are less likely to cause you problems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-broader-benefits-of-movement\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The broader benefits of movement<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from its direct impact on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/how-to-lower-cholesterol\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cholesterol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, exercise also offers significant health benefits. It plays a role in both your physical and mental health, both of which may have indirect impacts on your LDL and HDL levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"maintaining-a-healthy-body-weight\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintaining a healthy body weight<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity is linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels. A study found that LDL functions differently in people with obesity, which means <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jlr.org\/article\/S0022-2275(23)00124-4\/fulltext\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">arterial plaque forms more easily.<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise has a powerful relationship with weight management. Physical activity burns calories, which can help create a caloric deficit that leads to weight loss. Once you reach a healthy body weight, exercise helps maintain it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"reduced-inflammation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduced inflammation<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Inflammation occurs when your body experiences an injury or an illness. Immune cells rush to the affected area, leading to side effects like swelling and redness. This activity is a necessary part of the healing process, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK326741\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long-term inflammation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can lead to lower levels of HDL and denser LDL particles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise has anti-inflammatory effects; in fact, researchers have found that people experience <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1559827607300283\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduced inflammation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in as little as two weeks after starting an exercise regimen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"better-insulin-sensitivity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better insulin sensitivity<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC5569266\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">improves insulin sensitivity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means your body does a better job of absorbing glucose (sugars) from the blood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThis helps regulate blood sugar and reduces the metabolic strain that contributes to unfavorable cholesterol patterns,\u201d says<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/drsupatratovar.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supatra Tovar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PsyD, licensed clinical psychologist and registered dietitian.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/22206-insulin-resistance\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthy insulin sensitivity<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prevents LDL particles from becoming small and dense, regulates cholesterol absorption, and supports HDL levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"lower-stress-levels\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lower stress levels<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Managing stress levels may help keep your cholesterol levels in check. Studies have shown that acute stress can lead to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/1558435\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">elevated serum cholesterol concentration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This means that there is too much LDL cholesterol, which puts you at risk of heart disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/staying-healthy\/exercising-to-relax\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reduces stress<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by lowering levels of adrenaline and cortisol, also known as \u201cstress hormones.\u201d When you work out, you may also notice your mood improves. This is because movement boosts endorphins, which are chemicals that, in simple terms, make you feel good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t\t<div class=\"singlecare-dynamic-newsletter-wrapper sin-newsletter-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"heading\">Get our wellness newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t\t<form class=\"form-wrapper\" data-newsletter-form=\"1\" data-subsource=\"Wellness Newsletter\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<label for=\"dynamic-email\">Email<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"email\" id=\"dynamic-email\" class=\"email\" required>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"input-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<input class=\"submit-form-btn\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Click to sign up\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/form>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"success-message\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-the-best-exercise-to-lower-cholesterol\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the best exercise to lower cholesterol?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to improve your cholesterol levels through regular exercise, your best bet is cardio.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"cardiovascular-exercise\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cardiovascular exercise<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFrom both the research and my clinical experience, the most effective exercise for improving cholesterol is regular cardiovascular or aerobic movement that uses large muscle groups continuously,\u201d says Supatra Tovar. \u201cThis includes brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, rowing, and steady dancing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comprehensive review of 13 studies evaluated how cardio exercise (like jogging or rowing), resistance training (such as lifting weights), and a combination of both affected cholesterol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The research showed that people who completed at least 12 weeks of aerobic exercise had an average 4.6% <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC3906547\/#Sec5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase in HDL<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a 5% drop in LDL, and a 3.7% decrease in triglycerides. Participants did not see a significant change in their total cholesterol numbers, though the ratios improved.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"resistance-training\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistance training<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers also found positive effects with strength training. One study measured the lipid profiles of 30 men who followed moderate- or high-intensity resistance training for six weeks. Both groups experienced lower LDL and total cholesterol levels, and the high-intensity group experienced an increase in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22212275\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HDL cholesterol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An exercise program that combines resistance training with aerobic activity can lower LDL cholesterol levels, as well as improve several other key health markers, including a lower body fat percentage, better heart health, and enhanced metabolism.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-much-exercise-should-you-get\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much exercise should you get?<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA practical, evidence-based prescription for patients who want to improve cholesterol is to aim for at least 200 minutes per week of aerobic activity, along with 2 to 3 resistance training sessions,\u201d advises Dr. Setareh. \u201cThe minimal dose to improve HDL appears to be about 120 minutes weekly or approximately 900 kilocalories of energy expenditure, and HDL improvement increases further with each additional 10 minutes of exercise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking brisk walks, participating in cardio classes at the gym, or using the elliptical are all effective aerobic activities. The key is to exercise intensely enough to actually produce results, Supatra Tovar explains.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFor most people, \u2018intense activity\u2019 translates to working at a pace where your breathing increases, you feel pleasantly challenged, and you can still carry on short conversations,\u201d Supatra Tovar says. \u201cThis is typically around 60%\u201380% of your maximum heart rate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"the-bottom-line\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bottom line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercise has both direct and indirect effects on cholesterol levels. It increases your \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol, lowers your \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol, and reduces triglycerides in your body. Beyond that, it helps with other aspects of wellness by managing your weight, stress levels, and inflammation, all of which are linked to cholesterol levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise is only part of a holistic approach to improving cholesterol levels. Work with your healthcare professional to explore solutions, including lifestyle changes, a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fats, and, if necessary, the use of a cholesterol-lowering medication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you have ideal cholesterol levels? That is, is your total cholesterol below 200, with your \u201cgood\u201d cholesterol between 40 (men) or 50 (women) and 80, and your \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol below 100? It is possible to have high cholesterol and not even know it. Fortunately, the condition is treatable through a combination of medication and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":634794,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8029],"tags":[12674,20952],"coauthors":[21080],"class_list":["post-634883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-education","tag-exercise","tag-high-cholesterol","franchise-workout-rx","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Does exercise actually lower cholesterol? Here\u2019s the science<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Exercise can raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). 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