Exercise is a great place to start if you’re looking to lower your cholesterol. Various exercises, such as swimming or biking, have been proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

When you were first diagnosed with high cholesterol, your doctor may have talked with you about exercise. Besides improving your diet, exercising is one of the most effective lifestyle changes you can make to help bring your numbers down naturally.

Several good exercise choices are available to you that can help counteract the negative effects high cholesterol has on your health.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that circulates in the blood. If we have too much, it can stick to the inside walls of our arteries, narrowing them and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other factors in the blood play a part in your risk, though. One of these is the type of protein that carries the cholesterol through the body. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) “bad” cholesterol is more likely to cause problems, while high-density lipoprotein “good” (HDL) cholesterol protects the body from cholesterol buildup.

Exercise helps increase levels of HDL, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

296 Spanish adults participated in a 2021 study that found an association between leisure-time physical activity and HDL cholesterol. Specifically, higher levels of leisure time were associated with greater levels of circulating HDL cholesterol and better markers of HDL functionality.

A 2020 study found that for 130 participants with a current major depressive episode, time spent biking and walking was correlated with a decrease in triglyceride levels and LDL/HDL ratio.

Exercise can help you lower cholesterol numbers even if you’re overweight. A 2020 study on overweight women reported that combined exercise and nutrition programs, as well as nutrition-only programs, were associated with improved HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.

Some research has indicated that regular exercise may be important for increasing plasma levels of HDL cholesterol. That means it’s worth it to incorporate more activity into your day however you can — no matter what form.

You can try to incorporate exercise in any way. Here are a few examples:

  • take a walk during your lunch hour
  • choose the stairs
  • stand up to take phone calls
  • store a jump rope at your desk

In addition, try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of structured exercise into each day. It’s suggested this is enough time to increase HDL levels in people with diabetes.

Any exercise is better than none, according to some research, and studies have shown that the following six types are effective at reducing high LDL cholesterol levels.

1. Go for a nice run or jog

If your joints are in good shape and you enjoy jogging, you’re in luck. This is a great exercise for lowering cholesterol and managing your weight.

Don’t think you have to race, though. An easy jog for a few miles may get you the results you want to see.

In a 2020 review, researchers reported that participants who endurance trained, like long-distance running, showed significant improvements in HDL cholesterol levels and a decreased LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio.

These results were true for experimental groups of separate studies — one that observed people with low heart disease risk and an appropriate body weight, who were younger, and another that observed people with low heart disease risk, obesity, and in their middle ages.

2. Take a brisk walk

It has long been debated whether walking is as good as running for cardiovascular health. Walking can often be a much better exercise for protecting joint health, especially as we get older.

It takes less time to burn calories when you run, but if you burn the same number of calories at the end of your workout when you walk instead of run, you exert the same amount of energy.

Researchers in a 2019 study surveyed adults with heart disease risk. They observed that those who were less likely to take walks had higher heart disease risk, even when controlling for factors such as sex.

3. Bike to work or just for fun

Cycling expends about the same energy as jogging, but it’s easier on your joints. That’s an important thing for many people as they age.

Hips and knees are vulnerable to arthritis, and we all need to watch out for them. If you’re starting to feel some pain in these joints, it may be best to choose cycling over running.

If it’s possible to bike to work, try it. Studies have shown some positive benefits.

Scientists reported in a 2019 review that people who participated in indoor cycling had lower levels of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of HDL. But other studies didn’t observe a decrease in LDL cholesterol levels.

Though this study focused on indoor cycling (spinning), the findings may also apply to leisure and commuter cycling.

A second study published in 2020 found that cycling to work for 12 months was associated with lower LDL cholesterol. These findings support the idea that improving and maintaining cholesterol levels may benefit heart health.

4. Take a few laps at the pool

Swimming is probably the most joint-saving aerobic exercise you can do.

In a 2021 study, researchers looked at the effect swimming had on people with type 2 diabetes and hypertension from the West Bank area of Palestine. They found that regular swimming over 4 months improved:

  • total cholesterol
  • HDL cholesterol levels
  • LDL cholesterol levels
  • triglycerides
  • blood glucose
  • blood pressure
  • body mass index
  • body fat percentage

A 2019 meta-analysis of regular aquatic exercise and lipid and lipoprotein levels found HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels improved when trials were limited to:

  • only women
  • those with a mean age of less than 60
  • those with dyslipidemia (atypical levels of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood)

5. Lift a few weights

Aerobic exercise is the type of exercise most commonly recommended for reducing the risk of heart disease, but this doesn’t mean other forms of exercise aren’t beneficial for those with high cholesterol.

Some research suggests, though, that resistance training is also extremely beneficial for those with high cholesterol.

A 2019 study on Taiwanese adults showed the strongest association with improved HDL levels in those who participated in resistance training compared to those who didn’t exercise, aerobically exercised, or did mixed exercise.

These findings also support the idea that anaerobic activities, such as weight or resistance training, may help prevent heart disease.

Weightlifting can also help people of any age. A 2021 study on Caucasian women with an average age of 66 found that those who participated in a multicomponent exercise training program, which included resistance training, for nine months had improved total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

6. Strike a few yoga poses

After all this talk about aerobic exercise and lifting weights, it may seem odd that yoga would show up on the list. After all, yoga is mostly stretching, right?

Studies indicate, however, that yoga may reduce the risk of heart disease and, in some cases, directly affect cholesterol levels.

Researchers reported in a 2020 study of 81 female college students that a 12-week combined yoga and aerobic exercise program helped:

  • reduce total cholesterol levels
  • reduce body weight
  • reduce LDL cholesterol levels
  • improve HDL cholesterol levels

In a 2022 review of 53 studies, those who regularly participated in yoga showed significant improvement in:

  • total cholesterol levels
  • LDL cholesterol levels
  • HDL cholesterol levels
  • triglyceride levels
  • blood pressure

How long does it take for exercise to lower cholesterol?

How long exercise will take to lower your cholesterol depends on the frequency at which you exercise.

Many studies mentioned in this article saw improvements in cholesterol after several weeks or months of exercise intervention.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends getting at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise per week. You can always work your way up to this recommended time.

Does drinking water lower cholesterol?

Exercise can be a powerful strategy to lower your cholesterol. But combining it with what you eat and drink can also help improve your cholesterol and decrease your risk for heart disease.

A study from 2021 observed that better hydration was associated with lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as higher HDL cholesterol levels.

It’s suggested that hydration and circulating lipid concentrations in the blood are associated, but more research in this area is needed.

For those with high cholesterol, opting for low fat or fat-free milk could be a good choice.

All of these exercises may help lower your high cholesterol levels, improve other lipid levels, and protect you from heart disease. You can choose which is best for you based on your overall health, joint health, and lifestyle.

There are other options, as well. If you play tennis or dance regularly, you’re likely to be expending about the same energy as someone who walks briskly or runs.

The important thing is to get in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily, with resistance training twice a week. Then add in more throughout your day when you can. Wherever you are, get up and move!