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The best, fastest way to lower your LDL cholesterol (low density lipoproteins or "bad" cholesterol) immediately is by changing your diet and incorporating some healthy habits into your everyday life.
5 Ways to Lower LDL Cholesterol
Treatment to lower LDL cholesterol can begin right away with the following healthy lifestyle changes.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat in the diet to less than 6% of daily calories and minimizing consumption of trans fats
- Consume more plant sources of protein such as:
- Beans
- Lentils
- Tofu
- Pay attention to fat intake
- Avoid saturated fats and trans fats
- Avoid dietary sources of cholesterol such as egg yolks, organ meats, and shellfish
- Limit so-called “good” fats such as omega-3s and olive oil because all types of fat are dense with calories and can lead to being overweight
- The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan promoted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is considered a heart-healthy approach
- Eat fewer refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, white pasta, and white-flour foods like muffins, croissants, bagels, crackers, dried cereals, pretzels, and chips
- Choose whole grains such as:
- Whole-wheat couscous
- Polenta (cornmeal)
- Quinoa
- Wild rice
- Kasha
- Choose whole grains such as:
- Exercise regularly
- Aerobic exercise
- Resistance exercise
- Stretching
- Don’t smoke or vape
- Lose weight if you are overweight
Medications used to treat high cholesterol include:
- PCSK9 inhibitors to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Alirocumab (Praluent)
- Evolocumab (Repatha)
- Statins (HMG CoA reductase inhibitors)
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
- Rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
- Ezetimibe (cholesterol absorption inhibitors)
- Bile acid sequestrants (also called bile acid-binding agents)
- Adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitors
- Bempedoic acid (Nexletol)
- Bempedoic acid and ezetimibe (Nexlizet)
- Fibrates
- Gemfibrozil (Lopid)
- Fenofibrate (Antara, Lofibra, Tricor, and Triglide)
- Clofibrate (Atromid-S)
- Niacin (nicotinic acid), a B vitamin
- Omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters
- Lovaza
- Vascepa
- Epanova
- Omtryg
- Marine-derived omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)
What's Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that functions in the body to help support cell membranes, manufacture hormones, aid in digestion, and convert vitamin D in the skin. About three-quarters of the cholesterol in the body is naturally produced in the liver, and the remainder comes from foods we eat.
The American Heart Association recommends adults 20 years and older have their cholesterol levels checked every four to six years.
Cholesterol scores usually contain three measurements:
- Low density lipoproteins (LDL)
- “Bad” cholesterol
- Too much LDL can build up in the artery walls and form plaque that narrows arteries and restricts blood flow, which lead to coronary artery disease
- High levels of LDL cholesterol mean a person has an increased risk of stroke and heart attack
- High density lipoproteins (HDL)
- “Good” cholesterol
- HDL removes LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream and the artery walls
- A higher HDL score is desirable
- Triglycerides
- The most common form of fat in the body
- Can be an energy source
- A high triglyceride level can mean a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease
What Are Normal Cholesterol Levels?
People who do not have heart disease should aim for the following cholesterol levels:
- Total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL
- Levels above 200 mg/dL are considered high and mean a higher risk for developing heart disease
- LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dL
- Or much lower for those at risk of heart attacks or stroke
- HDL cholesterol above 60 mg/dL
- HDL levels of 60 mg/dL and higher can help reduce the risk for heart disease
- HDL levels of 40 mg/dL and lower are considered a risk factor for developing heart disease
- Triglycerides below 150 mg/dL
- Levels higher than 150 mg/dL increase the risk of developing heart disease and metabolic syndrome, which is also a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke
- Non-HDL cholesterol below 160 mg/dL
- This is the total cholesterol minus the HDL cholesterol
- Or lower for those at risk of heart attacks or stroke
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Cholesterol Resources
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https://www.heart.org/
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/high-cholesterol-the-basics?search=cholesterol&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-and-cholesterol/
https://www.pritikin.com/your-health/health-benefits/lower-cholesterol/1759-5-tactics-to-reduce-cholesterol-quickly.html
https://www.pritikin.com/your-health/health-benefits/lower-cholesterol/1759-5-tactics-to-reduce-cholesterol-quickly.html