Lifestyle changes including diet, exercise, and not smoking can help to improve your levels.
Medication can help to control your LDLlipoproteins, too.
There are seven key factors linked specifically to HDL deficiency.
Illustration by Emily Roberts for Verywell Health
Losing 5% of your body weight is a reasonable short-term goal to address overweight and obesity.
Some studies note that these goals vary with the individual.
To counter this, limit your intake of refined carbs andsaturated fatsfound in animal-derived foods.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Instead, substitute with whole grains and healthiermonounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
These are found in plant-based foods.
Inactivity
A lack of exercise is associated with the buildup of fatty deposits in arteries calledatherosclerosis.
Aerobic exercise is known to increase HDL levels.
However, the precise reasons are not fully understood.
Smoking also appears to affect liver function that’s important to cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Quitting cigarettes can be hard, but you’re able to succeed.
The low HDL levels seen in people withchronic kidney diseasealso may be related to ApoA1.
Medicines
Certain medications are known to lower HDL levels.
Optimal HDL Levels
Cholesterol levels are checked with a simple blood test called alipid panel.
HDL counts are described in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL).
Higher levels are considered better for heart health.
Normal levels are at least 40 mg/dL for adult males and 50 mg/dL for adult females.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting your cholesterol checked.
MedlinePlus.HDL: the “good” cholesterol.
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