Can We Make Highdensity Lipoproteins Great Again
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You've probably heard of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the good and the bad, respectively. But did you know there are effective ways you can raise HDL cholesterol levels and protect your heart health?
HDL cholesterol carries excess cholesterol to your liver so it doesn't build up in your bloodstream. But when LDL cholesterol moves cholesterol throughout your body, it can build up in the walls of the arteries, making them hard and narrow. If you have too little HDL cholesterol and too much LDL, you may be diagnosed with high cholesterol, a condition that can lead to atherosclerosis, angina (often experienced as chest pain), heart attack, and stroke.
Read on to find ways to boost HDL cholesterol — and the evidence behind them.
RELATED: What Do Your Cholesterol Numbers Mean?
Start an Exercise Program to Raise HDL Cholesterol
Regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and can also increase HDL cholesterol levels. Aerobic exercises, such as running, biking, and swimming, along with moderate weight training are good choices to help best boost those good cholesterol levels.
For women after menopause, a study published in August 2016 in the journal Diabetes & Metabolism found that high intensity interval training (on a bicycle) led to better HDL cholesterol levels as well as significant weight loss. And a study published in May 2016 in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that obese men who engaged in aerobic interval training (running on a treadmill) or resistance training (with weights) just three days a week for 12 weeks had significantly increased HDL cholesterol when compared with obese men who did no training.
"Exercise is excellent because it may independently raise your HDL, but also leads to weight loss, which may account for additional gains in your HDL," says Haitham Ahmed, MD, MPH , a preventive cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
Drop Excess Pounds to Increase HDL Cholesterol
If you're overweight or obese, shedding those excess pounds can help to raise HDL cholesterol. Leah Groppo, RD, CDE, clinical dietitian at Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California, says that losing around 7 percent of your total body weight is enough to cause a metabolic shift. But as Groppo notes, "Maintaining weight loss is key."
Abdominal obesity — fat that accumulates around your waist rather than in the hips and thighs — seems to be associated with heart disease risk and lower levels of the good cholesterol. Weight loss is especially helpful for people who have an apple-shaped body.
Effective weight-loss methods include diet, exercise, and surgery. A study published in January 2014 in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases found that 318 participants who received laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding showed a significant increase in their HDL cholesterol long-term, 12 years later.
Stop Smoking to Optimize HDL Cholesterol
Smoking cigarettes can lead to a number of health problems, including lung disease and cancer, and also increases your risk of heart attack. But did you know smoking can also suppress or lower those good cholesterol levels?
"Smoking can reduce HDL cholesterol in many ways, including by inhibiting HDL synthesis in the first place, blocking its maturation, and speeding up its clearance and metabolism," Dr. Ahmed says. "Quitting smoking can help your HDL synthesis and metabolism to go back to their natural levels so that the HDL can do its job better again."
And research agrees. A study published in September 2013 in the journal Biomarker Research found that ex-smokers had higher HDL cholesterol than smokers, noting: "We conclude that quitting smoking increases HDL cholesterol, and that this increase occurs rapidly after quitting, with no clear pattern of change thereafter."
If you're trying to quit smoking, talk to your doctor about the many methods to help you through the process.
Eat More Fish to Boost HDL Cholesterol
Including fish in your diet can increase HDL cholesterol in a short period of time. In a study published in February 2014 in the journal PLoS One , researchers concluded that a diet rich in foods including fish showed an increase in the size of HDL particles in the body, which could help improve cholesterol transport through the body. The researchers saw the positive effects of a diet that included fish in as little as 12 weeks.
"Omega-3 fatty acids, which are the type of fatty acids found in fish, can help increase your HDL cholesterol," Ahmed says. "Two servings of fatty fish per week, including salmon, mackerel, or albacore tuna, can help you hit your omega-3 goals." You'll also get omega-3s from flaxseeds, mixed greens, and walnuts in your diet.
Unwind With a Glass of Wine to Increase HDL Cholesterol
Research shows that moderate drinking can increase good cholesterol levels. According to the Mayo Clinic , this means having up to one alcoholic drink per day for women, as well as for men over age 65; men under 65 can have up to two drinks per day.
A study published in February 2016 in the journal PLoS One concluded as much. For nearly 11,000 adults, researchers found that low to moderate alcohol consumption (20 or fewer drinks a week for a man, 10 or fewer for a woman) led to higher levels of HDL cholesterol. It also helped get them to healthier overall cholesterol levels, decreasing triglycerides (blood fats in blood) and lowering LDL cholesterol.
Drinking too much alcohol, on the other hand, can reverse these health benefits and lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and high triglyceride levels — as well as addiction for some.
Cut Back on Sugar for Higher HDL Cholesterol Levels
According to a study published in November 2015 in the journal Nature , a diet high in carbohydrates — like added sugar, white bread, cookies, and cakes — reduces HDL cholesterol levels, increasing the risk for metabolic disorders. Refined carbohydrates found in foods labeled "low-fat" make these just as bad as full-fat foods because the fat is often replaced with carbohydrates from added sugar and other starches.
A study of 2,500 people with diabetes, published in October 2016 in the journal Nutrition Metabolism Cardiovascular Disease, found that following nutritional recommendations to limit added sugar in the diet was linked to significantly higher HDL cholesterol levels.
When trying to reduce added sugar in your diet, Ahmed says it's best to slowly replace sugars with fruits and vegetables. He adds, "Also try to avoid trans fats, including fried foods or those prepared with shortening, since these may also reduce HDL."
Cook With Healthy Oils to Raise HDL Cholesterol
Not all oils are created equal when it comes to your heart health. Olive oil and soybean oil are mainly unsaturated fat, which can lower LDL cholesterol and at the same time increase HDL cholesterol. In a study published in July 2015 in The Journal of Nutrition , researchers found that including olive oil in the diet decreased LDL concentrations in healthy young men.
Research also shows that coconut oil is beneficial in raising HDL, though it isn't the best heart-healthy oil because of its high saturated fat content, which can raise LDL cholesterol.
In a Harvard Health Letter, Walter C. Willett, MD, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, suggests using coconut oil sparingly because of the lack of research on how the oil may contribute to heart disease.
Groppo agrees. "Coconut oil is best used on the skin," she says.
Choose Antioxidant-Rich Foods to Boost HDL Cholesterol
A study published in January 2016 in the journal Nutrients found that an antioxidant-rich diet raises HDL cholesterol levels in relation to triglycerides, and might be associated with a reduced risk of stroke, heart failure, and inflammatory biomarkers. Antioxidant-rich foods include dark chocolate, berries, avocado, nuts, kale, beets, and spinach.
"Indulge in antioxidant-rich foods to increase HDL cholesterol," Groppo says. "The more colors that you can get in your diet, the better."
Talk to Your Doctor About Supplements and Cholesterol
If all other methods of increasing your HDL cholesterol haven't been effective, you might think of taking dietary supplements. Still, Ahmed cautions that supplements aimed at raising HDL only do so modestly. Also, supplements have not yet been proven to reduce heart attacks or strokes.
Speak to your doctor before taking any supplements to raise HDL cholesterol, because some supplements come with health risks or may interact with medication.
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/high-cholesterol/living-with/how-to-raise-hdl-cholesterol/
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