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How do I raise my HDL cholesterol?
Male
asked Nov 14, 2009 at 01:09PM in Cardiology/Heart Disease
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I agree with Ms. Weiss, Dr. hanafy and Dr. Katz. I have in the pst recommended exercise to my patients and indeed they had positive results.Eunshil Shim McKenna M.Ag, RD, LD commented Nov 19, 2009 at 07:57PM
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2VotesThere are several ways to raise HDL, and when done in conjunction with each other will likely yield the highest results:
Lose weight - Execess weight contributes to lowering of HDL, as well as increasing LDL and triglycerides.
Exercise - Long-duration aerobic exercise is currently thought to be the most effective way to raise HDL.
Diet - Remove trans-fats, increase monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats, and increase fiber consumption.
There is a lot of info on each of these areas on the net on trustworthy sites. -
3Votes
answered Nov 14, 2009 at 08:47PMGood question! Most studies look at high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in conjunction with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and, in particular, their ratio. Taking HDL in isolation, exercise produces best results for HDL if regular, vigorous and for at least 30 minutes, three or more times a week. A very nice article can be found at the Mayo Clinic website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hdl-cholesterol/CL00030
Among medications, niacin at a dose of 1 to 3 grams/day, raises HDL cholesterol. Statins (like Lipitor, Crestor, Simvastatin, etc) also have a small effect on elevating HDL cholesterol. Statins' value is in their overall effect on both components of cholesterol and on triglycerides. It is important to deal with lipid metabolism as a whole. -
3Votes
answered Nov 15, 2009 at 05:26AMI agree with the above replies.
In addition, moderate alcohol consumption raises HDL. Moderate is one drink a day on average for women (15 grams of ethanol) and up two drinks a day on average (30 grams of ethanol) for men. More is not better! Ethanol also raises a substance called TPA that helps the body break down blood clots.
Alcohol used for health promotion is the quintessential double-edged sword, so dose judiciously! -
4Votesanswered Nov 15, 2009 at 09:41PMThank you. An addendum to the above. Today, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that, among other findings, adding an extended-release niacin targeting a dose of 2 grams/d to a statin, resulted in an 18% increase of HDL. Here is the link:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0907569
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The content on or accessible through Medpedia.com is for informational purposes only. Medpedia is not a substitute for professional advice or expert medical services from a qualified health professional.
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