Quickest Way to Lower LDL Cholesterol

Lowering your levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol will lead to a decreased risk of heart disease. However, achieving that goal of getting your LDL cholesterol range down to normal levels quickly does require using certain methods that go beyond simply losing weight or stopping smoking.

In fact, getting your weight down to normal levels only has a modest effect on LDL cholesterol levels and that takes time. However, there are ways to lower the level of “bad” cholesterol in your system quickly if you follow your doctor’s advice. What follows are a few different means to actually reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in your body quickly and safely.

Medications

This is arguably the fasted way to lower your LDL cholesterol, especially if it has reached dangerous levels. There are several types of medications that will have a quick and dramatic effect on the level of bad cholesterol in your blood stream which includes the following:

1. Bile Acid Resins
2. Fibrates
3. Niacin
4. Statins

Of the four, most doctors recommend statins as the medication of choice since it can reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 50% very quickly.

Exercise

Raising your level of physical activity will result in the lowering the LDL cholesterol and raising the level of HDL or “good” cholesterol by up to 10%. A good 45 minute walk each day either all at once or a few minutes each hour can do wonders for improving your cholesterol levels in the body. There are other aerobic exercises that work also, but the key is enjoying good physical movement for at least 45 minute each day, five days a week.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fish and fish oil are primary sources for Omega-3 fatty acids which can greatly reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood stream. While capsule supplements may be acceptable, getting your Omega-3 from fish such as salmon for example two to three times each week is arguably much better. Omega-3 is also found in canola, soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed and their oils as well.

Consume More Fiber

Whole grains, fruits and vegetables are loaded with fiber which is a proven way to lower LDL cholesterol levels. This is because the fiber itself soaks up the cholesterol in the system and prevents it from being introduced into the bloodstream. Oats, dried beans and barley are also good sources of fiber as well as any product containing psyllium.

There are also other methods that can reduce the levels of bad cholesterol in the body, although they may not act as fast as the aforementioned methods. Drinking more green tea, eating more nuts and even the modest consumption of alcohol offers a proven means of lowering the bad cholesterol and raising the good. However, the inherent dangers of alcohol consumption are such that many doctors do not recommend more than one drink per day.

To find the quickest way to lower LDL levels of cholesterol in your body starts with a visit to your doctor to have the levels checked and setting the goal to lower them as quickly as possible.