February 2008, Brett

Cholesterol and Physical Activity

Cholesterol. We hear about it all the time at the doctor’s office, cereal boxes, and from friends anytime we want to order the cheesecake. Cholesterol itself isn’t actually the problem, but the effect that this soft, waxy like substance has on heart disease. The human body naturally produces this substance, and we consume quite a bit in the typical American diet. Since the amount we produce on our own cannot be changed, most of the approach many people take is from nutrition. This is good, especially considering the benefit that proper nutrition has on controlling high amounts of cholesterol.

However, the amount and type of physical activity you participate in can also affect both the good and the not so good types of cholesterol in the body. Done properly, exercise combined with good nutrition can increase HDL, or the good type of cholesterol that protects your body from the LDL, or bad cholesterol. In any situation, the more HDL you have in your blood, the lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke, even if (or perhaps, especially if) you have a family history of heart disease. In the long term, exercise can even help lower the amount of LDL in your bloodstream enough for your physician to lower your medication, and in some cases stop it altogether. The important factor in making these changes is the correct type, intensity, and duration of activity.

It is best to participate in an activity that is cyclic, or repeats itself over and over again such as running or cycling, as opposed to non cyclic activities like step aerobics. This allows your body to get the most from the activity instead of resting various muscles as you switch actions. Intensity tends to be the most valuable factor in improving cholesterol values, and tends to be the most ignored by exercisers. Think of your activity on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being a relaxed lounge by the pool and 10 being a run for your life from whatever big, scary creature frightens you most. Your activity should be between a 4 and a 7, leaning toward the higher numbers when possible. The higher the intensity that is sustained for at least 30 minutes, the more likely you are to have a good cholesterol balance. Some research has found that expending 1500 calories per week in exercise is enough to see a 10-20% decrease in total cholesterol over 12-16 weeks. If you need help tracking your activity, be sure to check out the physical activity tracker found on the myHealthyUtah site at https://health.utah.gov/myhu/.

If you have questions on this, or any other fitness topic, please contact Brett McIff, MSPH, CSCS at bmciff@utah.gov. Keep Moving!

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