Treatment Options for High Cholesterol: A Comprehensive Guide

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that your liver produces and is found in your blood. Your body uses cholesterol to make vitamin D, hormones, and other substances to help you digest food. While your body makes all the cholesterol that it needs, you can get added cholesterol from animal sources like meat and dairy products. As a result of eating too much of these foods, you may be at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol.

Having too much cholesterol in your body can block blood flow, making you more likely to experience serious medical complications such as stroke or heart attack. That’s why knowing how to lower your cholesterol if you have high cholesterol is so important.

Generally, you can treat high cholesterol with lifestyle changes like an improved diet and an increase in physical activity. However, if lifestyle adjustments aren’t helping you get your desired results, your healthcare provider may suggest certain medications to bring your cholesterol levels to a healthy range.

If you have high cholesterol, your healthcare provider will likely talk to you about your eating habits and meal plans. To help bring your cholesterol down, your provider will usually discuss changing your diet. In some cases, they may also refer you to a nutritionist who may help you develop an eating plan that’s right for you.

A diet best suited for reducing cholesterol consists of:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean proteins
• Low-fat dairy products
• Healthy fats

Your healthcare provider may also recommend refraining from:

• Saturated and trans fats
• Salt and processed foods
• Added sugars
• Excessive alcohol consumption

The DASH diet may be a good place to start when making dietary changes. DASH is an acronym that stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension (high blood pressure). This diet focuses on eating foods that are high in potassium, protein, calcium, and fiber while low in salts and saturated fats.

A review of the DASH diet was published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2015 which studied the effect this diet has on heart disease. Researchers found evidence that the DASH diet may lower blood pressure and cholesterol. While diets aren’t one-size-fits-all, talk to your healthcare provider about the DASH diet and whether this eating plan may work for you.

A lack of physical activity can increase your risk of having high cholesterol. If you have high cholesterol, moving your body more frequently can help bring your levels to a healthy range. 

According to the American Heart Association, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly. Your healthcare provider may recommend the following activities:

• Brisk walking
• Jogging or running
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Dancing

Keep in mind: the above activities are not an exhaustive list of exercises you can complete. The important thing is to find a combination of activities that you enjoy doing and help keep your body active throughout the week.

Obesity increases your likelihood of having high cholesterol. To reduce your cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of complications, your healthcare provider may recommend managing your weight if you are obese.

In most cases, they’ll help you achieve any desired or recommended weight loss with dietary changes and an exercise program. Your provider may also recommend stress management techniques to help boost your emotional well-being and help you become more mindful about your food and exercise choices—which may help you lose weight and keep the weight off. These techniques may include meditation, deep breathing, and journaling, among others.

One study published in Medicine in 2017 found that psychological stress was associated with higher LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. That said, identifying your stressors and learning how to manage them may help reduce high cholesterol levels. 

The American Heart Association has several recommendations for stress management. Some of these strategies include:

• Regular exercise
• Meditation or deep breathing exercises
• Engaging in hobbies or activities you enjoy
• Seeking support from family and friends
• Talking to a mental health professional for therapy and added support

Research suggests that quitting smoking can raise your HDL cholesterol. HDL or “good” cholesterol helps reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol from your arteries—or, blood vessels that transport oxygen and nutrients to your organs and tissues.

Additionally, drinking too much alcohol can lead to weight gain, which can increase your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol. Healthcare providers recommend that people assigned male at birth should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per day, while those assigned female at birth shouldn't consume more than one drink per day.

Your healthcare provider may suggest cholesterol-lowering medications if lifestyle changes are not enough to help reduce high cholesterol levels. Based on your cholesterol level and overall health, your provider can prescribe one of the following medications:

If you learn you have high cholesterol, your healthcare provider can help you develop a treatment plan that is right for you. This may include a breadth of options including dietary changes, an exercise program, stress reduction techniques, and medications. 

According to the American Heart Association, your primary care provider may also suggest medications for lowering cholesterol if you:

What’s important to know is that being proactive about your cholesterol levels early can help bring them back down to a healthy range. This can reduce your risk of health complications such as heart attack or stroke, and lower your likelihood of developing other health conditions. So don’t wait until it’s too late, and talk to your healthcare provider about what you can do to lower your cholesterol and improve your long-term quality of life. 

High cholesterol occurs when your body has more cholesterol than it needs to function properly. You may be at an increased risk of developing high cholesterol if you eat a high-salt and high-fat diet, live a sedentary lifestyle, and use substances.

The good news: you can bring your cholesterol levels back down to a healthy range with a variety of lifestyle changes and medication.