6/25/2019 10 Natural Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels

NUTRITION u Evidence Based

10 Natural Ways to Lower Your

Cholesterol Levels
Written by Matthew Thorpe, MD, PhD on December 11, 2017

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Cholesterol is made in your liver and has many important functions. For
example, it helps keep the walls of your cells flexible and is needed to
make several hormones.

However, like anything in the body, too much cholesterol or cholesterol in

the wrong places creates problems.

Like fat, cholesterol does not dissolve in water. Instead, its transport in the
body depends on molecules called lipoproteins, which carry cholesterol,
fat and fat-soluble vitamins in the blood.

Different kinds of lipoproteins have different effects on health. For

example, high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) result in cholesterol
deposits in blood vessel walls, which can lead to clogged arteries,
strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure (1  ). 
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In contrast, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) helps carry cholesterol away

from vessel walls and helps prevent these diseases (2  ).

This article will review 10 natural ways to increase the “good” HDL
cholesterol and lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol.
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The Link Between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol

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The liver produces as much cholesterol as the body needs. It packages

cholesterol with fat in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL).

As VLDL delivers fat to cells throughout the body, it changes into the
more dense LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, which carries cholesterol
wherever it is needed.

The liver also releases high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which carries

unused cholesterol back to the liver. This process is called reverse
cholesterol transport, and protects against clogged arteries and other
types of heart disease.

Some lipoproteins, especially LDL and VLDL, are prone to damage by free
radicals in a process called oxidation. Oxidized LDL and VLDL are even
more harmful to heart health (3).

Although food companies often advertise products as low in cholesterol,

dietary cholesterol actually only has a small influence on the amount of
cholesterol in the body.

This is because the liver changes the amount of cholesterol it makes

depending on how much you eat. When your body absorbs more
cholesterol from your diet, it makes less in the liver.

For example, a study randomly assigned 45 adults to eat more

cholesterol in the form of two eggs daily. In the end, those eating more
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cholesterol did not have higher total cholesterol levels or changes in

lipoproteins, compared to those eating less cholesterol (4  ).

While dietary cholesterol has little influence on cholesterol levels, other 

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foods in your diet can worsen them, as can family history, smoking and a
sedentary lifestyle.
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Likewise, several other lifestyle choices can help increase the beneficial
HDL and decrease the harmful LDL. Below are 10 natural ways to improve
your cholesterol levels.

1. Focus on Monounsaturated Fats

As opposed to saturated fats, unsaturated fats have at least one double
chemical bond that changes the way they are used in the body.
Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond.

Although some recommend a low-fat diet for weight loss, a study of 10

men found a 6-week, low-fat diet reduced levels of harmful LDL, but also
reduced beneficial HDL (5  ).

In contrast, a diet high in monounsaturated fats reduced harmful LDL, but

also protected higher levels of healthy HDL.

A study of 24 adults with high blood cholesterol came to the same

conclusion, where eating a diet high in monounsaturated fat increased
beneficial HDL by 12%, compared to a diet low in saturated fat (6  ).

Monounsaturated fats may also reduce the oxidation of lipoproteins,

which contributes to clogged arteries. A study of 26 people found that
replacing polyunsaturated fats with monounsaturated fats in the diet
reduced the oxidation of fats and cholesterol (7  , 8  ).

Overall, monounsaturated fats are healthy because they decrease harmful

LDL cholesterol, increase good HDL cholesterol and reduce harmful
oxidation (9  ).
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Here are a few great sources of monounsaturated fats. Some are also
good sources of polyunsaturated fat:
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Olives and olive oil

Canola oil
Tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and
cashews

Avocados

You can find olive oil and canola oil online.

SUMMARY
Monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts
and avocados reduce the “bad” LDL, increase the “good” HDL
and reduce the oxidation that contributes to clogged arteries.

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2. Use Polyunsaturated Fats, Especially Omega-3s 

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Polyunsaturated fats have multiple double bonds that make them behave
differently in the body than saturated fats. Research shows that
polyunsaturated fats reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol and decrease the risk
of heart disease.

For example, one study replaced saturated fats in 115 adults’ diets with
polyunsaturated fats for eight weeks. By the end, total and LDL
cholesterol levels were reduced by about 10% (10  ).

Another study included 13,614 adults. They replaced dietary saturated fat
with polyunsaturated fat, providing about 15% of total calories. Their risk
of coronary artery disease dropped by nearly 20% (11  ).

Polyunsaturated fats also seem to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome

and type 2 diabetes.

Another study changed the diets of 4,220 adults, replacing 5% of their

calories from carbohydrates
AD with polyunsaturated fats. Their blood
glucose and fasting insulin levels decreased, indicating a decreased risk
of type 2 diabetes (12  ).

Omega-3 fatty acids are an especially heart-healthy type of

polyunsaturated fat. They’re found in seafood and fish oil supplements
(13  , 14  ).

Omega-3 fats are found in high amounts in fatty fish like salmon,
mackerel, herring and deep sea tuna like bluefin or albacore, and to a
lesser degree in shellfish including shrimp (15).

Other sources of omega-3s include seeds and tree nuts, but not peanuts. 
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SUMMARY
All polyunsaturated fats are heart-healthy and may reduce the
risk of diabetes. Omega-3 fats are a type of polyunsaturated fat
with extra heart benefits.

3. Avoid Trans Fats

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been modified by a process
called hydrogenation.

This is done to make the unsaturated fats in vegetable oils more stable as
an ingredient. Many margarines and shortenings are made of partially
hydrogenated oils.

The resulting trans

AD fats are not fully saturated, but are solid at room

temperatures. This is why food companies have used trans fats in

products like spreads, pastries and cookies — they provide more texture
than unsaturated, liquid oils.

Unfortunately, partially hydrogenated trans fats are handled differently in

the body than other fats, and not in a good way. Trans fats increase total
cholesterol and LDL, but decrease beneficial HDL by as much as 20%
(16  , 17  ).

A study of global health patterns estimated trans fats may be responsible

for 8% of deaths from heart disease worldwide. Another study estimated a
law restricting trans fats in New York will reduce heart disease deaths by 
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 
4.5% (18 , 19 ).

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In the United States and an increasing number of other countries, food

companies are required to list the amount of trans fats in their products
on nutrition labels.

However, these labels can be misleading, because they are allowed to

round down when the amount of trans fat per serving is less than 0.5
grams. This means some foods contain trans fats even though their labels
say “0 grams of trans fat per serving.”

To avoid this trick, read the ingredients in addition to the nutrition label. If
a product contains “partially hydrogenated” oil, it has trans fats and
should be avoided.

SUMMARY
Foods with “partially hydrogenated” oil in the ingredients contain
trans fats and
AD are harmful, even if the label claims the product

has “0 grams of trans fat per serving.”

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4. Eat Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber is a group of different compounds in plants that dissolve in
water and that humans can’t digest.

However, the beneficial bacteria that live in your intestines can digest
soluble fiber. In fact, they require it for their own nutrition. These good
bacteria, also called probiotics, reduce both harmful kinds of lipoproteins,
LDL and VLDL (20  , 21  ).

In a study of 30 adults, taking 3 grams of soluble fiber supplements daily

for 12 weeks decreased LDL by 18% (22  ).

A different study of fortified breakfast cereal found that added soluble

fiber from pectin reduced LDL by 4% and fiber from psyllium reduced LDL
by 6% (23  ).

Soluble fiber canADalso help increase the cholesterol benefits of taking a

statin medication.

One 12-week study had 68 adults add 15 grams of the psyllium product
Metamucil to their daily 10-mg dose of the lipid-lowering medication
simvastatin. This was found to be as effective as taking a larger 20-mg
dose of the statin without fiber (24  ).

Soluble fiber’s benefits reduce the risk of disease. A large review of

several studies found high fiber intakes of both soluble and insoluble fiber
reduced the risk of death over 17 years by nearly 15% (25  ).

Another study of over 350,000 adults found those eating the most fiber 
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from grains and cereals lived longer, and they were 15–20% less likely to
die during the 14-year study (26  ).
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Some of the best sources of soluble fiber include beans, peas and lentils,
fruit, oats and whole grains. Fiber supplements like psyllium are also safe
and inexpensive sources.

SUMMARY
Soluble fiber nourishes healthy probiotic gut bacteria and
removes cholesterol from the body, reducing LDL and VLDL.
Good sources include beans, peas, lentils, fruit, psyllium and
whole grains including oats.

5. Exercise
Exercise is a win-win for heart health. Not only does it improve physical
fitness and help combat obesity, but it also reduces harmful LDL and
AD
increases beneficial HDL (27  , 28  ).

In one study, twelve weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise

reduced the especially harmful oxidized LDL in 20 overweight women
(29  ).

These women exercised three days per week with 15 minutes each of
aerobic activity including walking and jumping jacks, resistance-band
training and low-intensity Korean dance.

While even low-intensity exercise like walking increases HDL, making

your exercise longer and more intense increases the benefit (30  , 31  ).
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Based on a review of 13 studies, 30 minutes of activity five days a week is

enough to improve cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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Ideally, aerobic activity should raise the heart rate to about 75% of its
maximum. Resistance training should be 50% of maximum effort.

Activity that elevates the heart rate to 85% of its maximum increases HDL
and also decreases LDL. The longer the duration, the greater the effects
(32  ).

Resistance exercise can decrease LDL even at modest intensity. At

maximum effort it also increases HDL. Increasing the number of sets or
repetitions increases the benefit (32  ).

SUMMARY
Any type of exercise improves cholesterol and promotes heart
health. The longer and more intense the exercise, the greater the
benefit.
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6. Lose Weight
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Dieting influences the way your body absorbs and produces cholesterol.

A two-year study of 90 adults on one of three randomly assigned weight

loss diets found weight loss on any of the diets increased the absorption
of cholesterol from the diet and decreased the creation of new
cholesterol in the body (33  ).

Over these two years, “good” HDL increased while “bad” LDL did not
change, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.

In another similar study of 14 older men, “bad” LDL decreased as well,

providing even more heart protection (34  ).

A study of 35 young women showed decreased creation of new

cholesterol in the body during weight loss over six months (35  ).

Overall, weight loss has a double benefit on cholesterol by increasing

beneficial HDL and
AD
decreasing harmful LDL.

SUMMARY
Weight loss reduces total cholesterol, in part by decreasing the
creation of new cholesterol in the liver. Weight loss has had
different, though generally beneficial, effects on HDL and LDL in
different studies.

7. Don’t Smoke
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Smoking increases the risk of heart disease in several ways. One of these
is by changing how the body handles cholesterol.
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The immune cells in smokers are unable to return cholesterol from vessel
walls to the blood for transport to the liver. This damage is related to
tobacco tar, rather than nicotine (36  ).

These dysfunctional immune cells may contribute to the faster

development of clogged arteries in smokers.

In a large study of several thousand adults in Pacific Asia, smoking was

associated with decreased HDL levels and increased total cholesterol
(37  ).

Fortunately, giving up smoking can reverse these harmful effects (36  ,

38  ).

SUMMARY
Smoking appears to increase bad lipoproteins, decrease “good”
AD
HDL and hinder the body’s ability to send cholesterol back to the
liver to be stored or broken down. Quitting smoking can reverse
these effects.

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8. Use Alcohol in Moderation

When used in moderation,
AD the ethanol in alcoholic drinks increases HDL
and reduces the risk of heart disease.

A study of 18 adult women found that drinking 24 grams of alcohol from

white wine daily improved HDL by 5%, compared to drinking equal
amounts of white grape juice (39  ).

Alcohol also improves “reverse cholesterol transport,” meaning

cholesterol is removed from blood and vessel walls and taken back to the
liver. This reduces the risk of clogged arteries and heart disease (40  ).

While moderate alcohol intake reduces heart disease risk, too much
alcohol harms the liver and increases the risk of dependence. The 
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recommended limit is two drinks daily for men and one for women (41  ).

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SUMMARY
1–2 drinks per day may improve HDL cholesterol and reduce the
risk of clogged arteries. However, heavier alcohol use increases
heart disease risk and harms the liver.

9. Consider Plant Sterols and Stanols

Multiple types of supplements show promise for managing cholesterol.

Plant stanols and sterols are plant versions of cholesterol. Because they
resemble cholesterol, they are absorbed from the diet like cholesterol.

However, because parts of their chemistry are different from human

cholesterol, they do not contribute to clogged arteries.

Instead, they reduce

AD
cholesterol levels by competing with human
cholesterol. When plant sterols are absorbed from the diet, this replaces
the absorption of cholesterol.

Small amounts of plant stanols and sterols are naturally found in

vegetable oils, and are also added to certain oils and butter substitutes.

One study of 60 men and women found consuming yogurt with one gram
of plant stanols reduced LDL by about 15%, compared to a placebo.
Another study showed they decreased LDL by 20% (42  , 43  ).

In spite of these benefits to cholesterol, available studies have not proven

that stanols or sterols decrease
ADVERTIS EMENT the risk of heart disease. The higher 

doses in supplements are not as well tested as the small doses in

vegetable oils (44  ).
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SUMMARY
Plant stanols and sterols in vegetable oil or margarines compete
with cholesterol absorption and reduce LDL by up to 20%. They
are not proven to reduce heart disease.

10. Try Supplements

There is strong evidence that fish oil and soluble fiber improve cholesterol
and promote heart health. Another supplement, coenzyme Q10, is
showing promise in improving cholesterol, although its long-term benefits
are not yet known.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is rich in AD

the omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

One study of 42 adults found that taking 4 grams of fish oil daily reduced
the total amount of fat being carried in blood. In another study, taking 6
grams of fish oil daily increased HDL (45  , 46  ).

A study of over 15,000 adults also found that omega-3 fatty acids,
including from fish oil supplements, reduced the risk of heart disease and
prolonged life expectancy (47  ).

You can shop for fish oil supplements online.

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Psyllium

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Psyllium is a form of soluble fiber available as a supplement.

A four-week study of 33 adults found that cookies enriched with 8 grams

of psyllium reduced total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by nearly 10%
(48  ).

Another study found similar results using a 5-gram psyllium supplement

twice daily. LDL and total cholesterol decreased by about 5% over a
longer, 26-week period (49  ).

You can check out a selection of psyllium supplements online.

Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a food chemical that helps cells produce energy. It is

similar to a vitamin, except that the body can produce its own Q10,
preventing deficiency.
AD

Even if there is no deficiency, extra Q10 in the form of supplements may

have benefits in some situations.

Several studies with a total of 409 participants found coenzyme Q10

supplements reduced total cholesterol. In these studies, LDL and HDL did
not change (50  ).

Coenzyme Q10 supplements may also be beneficial in treating heart

failure, though it’s unclear whether they reduce the risk of developing
heart failure or heart attacks (51  ).

You can purchase coenzyme Q10 supplements online. 

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SUMMARY
Fish oil supplements and soluble fiber supplements like psyllium
improve cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Coenzyme Q10 supplements reduce total cholesterol levels, but
it’s unclear whether this prevents heart disease.

The Bottom Line

Cholesterol has important functions in the body, but can cause clogged
arteries and heart disease when it gets out of control.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is prone to free radical damage and

contributes most to heart disease. In contrast, high-density lipoprotein
(HDL) protects against heart disease by carrying cholesterol away from
vessel walls andAD
back to the liver.

If your cholesterol is out of balance, lifestyle interventions are the first line
of treatment.

Unsaturated fats, soluble fiber and plant sterols and stanols can increase
good HDL and decrease bad LDL. Exercise and weight loss can also help.

Eating trans fats and smoking is harmful and should be avoided.

If you’re concerned about your cholesterol levels, have them checked by

your doctor. A simple blood draw, taken after an overnight fast, is all that’s
required. 
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