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Key takeaways
The two main methods to lower cholesterol are lifestyle changes and medication.
Diet and exercise can take three to six months to lower LDL cholesterol, while medication can work in one to two days.
The best approach for many people is to combine lifestyle changes and medication.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance your liver produces to make hormones, cell membranes, and vitamin D. Everyone has cholesterol in their body, but when your LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad” cholesterol, is too high, it raises your risk of heart attack and stroke. The good news is it can take as little as six weeks to lower your cholesterol with medication or lifestyle changes. However, it may take a few months for your levels to reach a normal range—depending on the method you are using, how elevated your numbers were, and how your body responds to the treatment. Read on to learn the best strategies for lowering your LDL cholesterol levels and boosting your overall heart health.
How long does it take to reduce cholesterol?
Your healthcare provider will likely tell you to reduce your cholesterol levels if your LDL cholesterol is in an unhealthy range. There are two main methods to reduce LDL cholesterol levels: lifestyle changes and medication. Often, you’ll combine both methods for the best results.
Lifestyle modifications: “It can take three to six months to reduce cholesterol by eating a healthier diet and exercising,” says Rohit Vuppuluri, DO, an interventional cardiologist in private practice based out of Park Ridge, Illinois. Initial improvement in your cholesterol numbers can start sooner.
Cholesterol-reducing medication: “Most medications start lowering cholesterol within days of starting them,” says Norman Lepor, MD, cardiologist and director of the National Heart Institute in Beverly Hills, California. Maximum effectiveness can take months, though.
What is a normal cholesterol level?
According to the American Heart Association, LDL levels should be:
- Under 100 mg/dL for healthy individuals
- Under 70 mg/dL for individuals with a history of heart disease
But it’s not just LDL that your healthcare provider may look at. Your total cholesterol level is the sum of three values: LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein), and triglyceride levels. HDL cholesterol is often called “good cholesterol” because it helps flush out excess LDL cholesterol and plaque from your body. Healthy cholesterol levels are often broken down by age and also by sex.
RELATED: Here’s what your cholesterol should be by age
What is the best way to lower cholesterol?
“It can take months to lower cholesterol with diet and exercise changes alone,” Dr. Lepor says. “For some, diet and other lifestyle changes won’t be enough to slow down the development of plaque in their arteries.” That’s because much of how your liver processes cholesterol is genetic. Meaning that no matter how healthy you eat and how much you exercise, you may still have high cholesterol levels and require cholesterol-lowering medications.
Experts agree that combining healthy lifestyle changes and medication is the best way to lower cholesterol levels. Here are the six strategies that you could employ to decrease total cholesterol:
1. Exercise
Engaging in regular physical activity is vital to lowering your cholesterol. “Specifically, 30 minutes of daily cardiovascular exercise that increases the heart rate will help reduce cholesterol,” says Dr. Vuppuluri. “While high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts will help to reduce cholesterol faster, even steady state cardiovascular exercising will lower cholesterol.” In other words, going for a brisk walk outside or taking an aerobic exercise class at the gym can be helpful. As an added bonus, exercising increases your good cholesterol (HDL), which decreases your bad cholesterol even more, Dr. Vuppuluri notes.
2. Dietary changes
The Mediterranean and DASH diets are the two top eating plans for lowering cholesterol. However, any nutrition plan that is high in healthy fats, soluble fiber (like oatmeal), whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein—and low in saturated fats, trans fats, sugar, and processed foods—would work.
Additionally, according to a 2021 systematic review published in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, green tea can help decrease high LDL cholesterol.
3. Weight loss
Maintaining a healthy weight for your body type is one of the best ways to lower your LDL cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The excess body fat associated with obesity and being overweight makes it more challenging for your body to eliminate LDL cholesterol from your blood. Your healthcare provider can help you determine what number on the scale makes sense for you and what weight loss methods might be appropriate.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking lowers your good cholesterol, according to the American Heart Association. Additionally, it adds to the hazards associated with other cardiovascular risk factors, like high blood pressure and diabetes. Quitting smoking can increase your HDL cholesterol levels, lower your LDL levels, and reduce your overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
5. Statins
Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications used to lower cholesterol. Statins work by decreasing the amount of cholesterol produced by the liver. They also help eliminate cholesterol in your bloodstream. Research has found that statins can decrease high LDL levels between 25% and 55%. There’s also an abundance of data pointing to the effectiveness of statins in reducing your overall risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular events.
Commonly prescribed statins include:
6. Non-statin medications for cholesterol
Although statins are the most common medication to lower cholesterol, they don’t work for everyone. “Many people are unable to get their LDL cholesterol low enough through lifestyle modifications and a statin,” Dr. Lepor says. In this case, your healthcare provider may prescribe an add-on medication statin alternative such as:
- Leqvio (inclisiran)
- Zetia (ezetimibe)
- Repatha (evolocumab)
- Praluent (alirocumab)
- Colestid (colestipol)
- Fibricor (fenofibrate)
- Nexlizet (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe)
- Niaspan (niacin)
- Roszet (rosuvastatin and ezetimibe)
- Trilipix (fenofibrate delayed-release)
- Vytorin (simvastatin and ezetimibe)
The bottom line: You can lower your cholesterol in weeks
If your cholesterol is too high, you can take heart in knowing that you should begin to see results in a matter of weeks or months. Still, you must be patient with the process because it doesn’t happen overnight. Thankfully, there are many effective ways to lower your cholesterol, including medication and lifestyle changes, such as a heart-healthy diet and exercise.
If you are at risk of heart disease, you should visit your healthcare provider regularly for check-ups to make sure that your diet, physical activity, and medication routines are working to keep your cholesterol in a healthy range. Even healthy individuals should have their cholesterol routinely checked because it’s important to maintain lower cholesterol levels throughout your lifetime to prevent health conditions like heart disease and to maintain overall health.
