I was recently diagnosed with high LDL levels and low HDL levels and I know certain foods aid in lowering LDL and increasing HDL, but I also oftentimes see that exercise increases HDL cholesterol. I exercise three times a week followed by one test day, but I wonder how does exercise affect HDL levels?
In: Biology
There are several factors that go into this.
1. When we eat fats (lipids) they are transported through the blood stream.
2. Exercise in general increases your body’s use of lipids as a source of fuel.
3. In response to the exercise, the body releases HDL to help shuttle lipids to the liver to be converted to other useful things or disposed of.
4. The length of exercise appears to be very important, with some studies saying as high as 7-10 miles per week. This increases the body’s ability to utilize fat for fuel. In other words, more aerobic exercise.
5. Dietary factors are also responsible for total cholesterol changes. Choosing less saturated fats for unsaturated is better because it contains more HDL naturally.
Source: I’m a kinesiologist, though my understanding of metabolic exercise physiology is slightly limited.
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