Alternative Health Blog

Now here is a connection you might not think to make: Lifting weights can reduce your cholesterol levels. That’s the word from a new study conducted at West Virginia University.

Best of all, lifting barbells and dumbbells (or working on machines) will reduce the non-high density cholesterol that is most predictive of heart disease. The study reported a five percent decrease in this type of cholesterol and overall five percent drop in cholesterol.

The research, funded by the American Heart Association, examined 29 studies and more than 1,300 volunteer subjects. It represents a long-held hypothesis by Dr George Kelley on the West Virginia University medical staff. He wanted to clear up confusion about whether weight training is strictly about building muscle or applies to deeper health benefits.

“These results are important for two reasons,” said Kelley. “First, it was previously thought that lifting weights had little if any effect on cholesterol levels. Second, we believe the our findings are practically important—the decreases we observed in total cholesterol would be equivalent to a five percent decrease in the risk of heart disease.”

A short lesson in cholesterol measurements: You have likely heard about HDL and LDL cholesterol. HDL or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is the “good” stuff that actually helps clear the arteries and keep them that way. LDL or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is considered the “bad” stuff that clogs your circulatory system. “Non-HDL” cholesterol, which is total cholesterol minus HDL, is now deemed a more reliable predictor of heart disease than LDL.

It’s always a good idea to seek out a health practitioner’s supervision before undertaking a weight training program but be assured that researchers have found healthful results of such resistance training among individuals of all activity levels and ages (including people well into their 90s using one- to two-pound weights). There are not many good reasons not to start a weight training regimen.

And there’s a bonus beyond the “guns” or bulging arms you might see on a guy or even the always-on-the-hipness-edge Madonna. You will undoubtedly feel more energy in your life.

Bob Condor blogs for Alternative Health Journal every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.