What is Cholesterol?

• Cholesterol is a sticky substance that is found in the human body. Cells rely on cholesterol to help produce their outer membranes and some hormones also need cholesterol to perform their functions. The American Heart Association reveals that cholesterol is formed within the lipids, or "fatty cells" of the body.
  
  

The Circulatory System

• Exercise makes the heart work more efficiently and increases the circulation in your entire body. Discovery Health reports that during exercise more blood is pumped throughout your body, breaking up the blood clots that cholesterol creates. Without the increase in blood volume, any clots that are present can potentially form blockages and raise your risk of having a heart attack.
  
  

Weight Loss

• Exercise helps to promote weight reduction and also encourages weight management, which is essential for good health. As you exercise and tone your body, stored fat is being burned. Since cholesterol is a type of fat, it is also affected by the body's fat burning process. The American Council on exercise explains that exercise encourages the production of metabolic enzymes that convert bad cholesterol (LDL) into good cholesterol (HDL).
  
  

HDL and LDL

• HDL is also known as "high-density lipoprotein" and is a type of cholesterol that is essential to a healthy body. However, LDL or "low-density lipoprotein" is the kind of cholesterol that the body can do without. Exercise helps your body raise HDL and lower LDL, significantly improving your complete cholesterol profile. According to Health Central.com, exercise does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial. In fact, as little as 30 minutes of exercise a day can dramatically raise your HDL and lower dangerous LDL levels.
  
  

When Exercise is not Enough

• Lifestyle changes and daily exercise may not be enough to help some people maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Such cases may require the addition of a cholesterol lowering medication that can be prescribed by a physician. The Mayo Clinic reports that the effectiveness of cholesterol lowering medications varies from person to person. It may even be necessary to use a combination of medications to lower cholesterol levels.