Cholesterol is a waxy substance used by your cells. In the right amounts, cholesterol helps make:
- Vitamin D keeps your nervous system, immune system, bones, and muscles healthy
- Hormones, chemicals that control hundreds of body functions, from mood to how fast you burn calories
- Bile acids, which help your body break down fat
There are two main types of cholesterol in your body: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. HDL is often called “good” cholesterol because it helps move LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) away from your arteries, where it can build up and cause a heart attack or stroke, and to your liver, where it is broken down and eliminated from your body.
What is a normal level for HDL cholesterol?
Here are the normal and abnormal HDL cholesterol ranges for adults, which vary by gender:
- Low HDL: Below 40 mg/dL (men) or below 50 mg/dL (women)
- Normal HDL: 40 to 80 mg/dL (men) or 50 to 80 mg/dL (women)
- High HDL: Above 80 mg/dL (everyone)
- For children and teens, a normal HDL level is 45 to 80 mg/dL.
The Benefits of HDL Cholesterol in Your Body
HDL cholesterol is “good” cholesterol because healthy levels of cholesterol reduce your risk of heart disease. Normal levels are 40 to 80 mg/dL in men and 50 to 80 mg/dL in women.
HDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol you want to have more of. It’s called “good” cholesterol because it can help protect you from heart disease. HDL cholesterol helps carry other types of cholesterol to your liver, which then removes them from your body.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good cholesterol you’ll find on a lipid panel test to screen for heart disease risk. The other type is low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Having high levels of HDL also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
HDL helps move cholesterol from your arteries to your liver, where it can be metabolized and excreted. If your HDL levels are low, your body can’t remove cholesterol effectively, which can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries.
Strategies to Increase HDL Cholesterol
Here are four top strategies that have been shown to be effective:
1. Increase Physical Activity
Increasing physical activity can increase HDL cholesterol levels while lowering triglycerides, the most common type of fat in the body. Just 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week can achieve this. Moving more can also help you lose weight.
2. Limit Trans Fats
Try to keep trans fats out of your diet. Trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol levels. Foods made with shortening, such as cakes and cookies, often contain trans fats. So do most fried foods and some margarines. Also limit saturated fats, which are found in meat and whole-milk dairy products.
3. Stop Smoking
If you smoke, find a way to quit. Smoking lowers HDL levels, especially in women. And it can raise LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation
Moderate alcohol use is linked to higher HDL cholesterol levels. For healthy adults, moderate alcohol consumption means one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
However, if you don’t drink alcohol, don’t start drinking to raise your HDL cholesterol. Drinking too much alcohol can cause weight gain. And it can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride levels and increase your risk of certain cancers.
