Is there a link between a weight loss diet and cholesterol? Learn about the connection between your cholesterol and weight loss.
Obesity is becoming increasingly prevalent in the U.S. along with conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Is there a connection between being overweight and having high cholesterol? By losing weight, can you lower your cholesterol levels?
Cholesterol and Your Health
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of the leading causes of death are obesity-related diseases. These include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even certain cancers.
About 42 percent of adults in the U.S. are living with obesity and just over 11 percent have high cholesterol. Moreover, the CDC states that both high cholesterol and obesity are leading factors in heart disease. Fortunately, they also add that you can improve your cholesterol and overall health by losing just five to 10 percent of your total body weight.
“Most of the time when a person loses weight, the levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol, go down,” explains Roger Blumenthal, MD, a professor of cardiology at Johns Hopkins and director of its Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. “This is especially true for people whose triglyceride levels are above average. A good rule of thumb is that if triglyceride levels are high, there’s a bigger impact from dietary changes on LDL.”
Diet and Your Health
According to some studies, a low-carbohydrate diet seems to be the most effective at causing weight loss and improved cholesterol. Other studies suggest that a 25 percent calorie-restricted diet may lead to further gains. For instance, people who restrict their calories may lose about 16 pounds more than those on a low-carb diet and improve their cholesterol and blood pressure.
However, keep in mind that losing weight may not necessarily help you if you’re still consuming a lot of saturated fats. “Most people who lose weight also improve their dietary choices, eating more fruits and vegetables, for example,” says Blumenthal. “But theoretically, if you lose weight on a diet of cheeseburgers and fries, you could raise your LDL.”
The Outlook
Losing weight generally has a positive effect when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels. However, Blumenthal says that the link between these two depends on the person. “Sometimes levels of HDL, the good cholesterol, can go down when a person cuts down on saturated fat,” he notes. “It’s probably genetic.”
Still, you probably won’t lose anything by improving your diet. In addition to eating healthily, you can boost your overall health by taking supplements like HeartBeet Complete. Its ingredients effectively promote circulation, blood pressure health, energy levels, and more. If you’re ready to support your heart health, then eat a healthy diet, reduce your cholesterol, and try HeartBeet Complete.
