Mixed
High-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., 80% VO2max) is required to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in sedentary individuals, whereas moderate-intensity exercise primarily increases HDL cholesterol.
If your goal is to lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, you likely need to exercise at a higher intensity (around 80% of your max capacity) rather than just walking. Ensure you are doing enough total work (e.g., 400 calories per session, 3 times a week). If you are currently sedentary, start with moderate intensity to build a base, then gradually increase the intensity to target LDL.
It was reported that significant lipid profile improvements occurred only in the high-intensity group, with significant decreases (p < 0.05) in total cholesterol (from 6.02 to 5.48 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (from 4.04 to 3.52 mmol/L) and non-HDL cholesterol (from 4.58 to 4.04 mmol/L).
Why this rating
Based on RCTs controlling for volume (calories) to isolate intensity effects.
Source
Differential Effects of Aerobic Exercise, Resistance Training and Combined Exercise Modalities on Cholesterol and the Lipid Profile: Review, Synthesis and Recommendations
Steven Mann et al. · Sports Medicine · 2013
DOI 10.1007/s40279-013-0110-5
More from this paper
- Prolonged moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., 150 min/week at 65% VO2max) significantly improves the lipid profile by increasing HDL cholesterol and reducing triglycerides, whereas high-intensity interval training may fail to produce these benefits if total volume is insufficient.Good
- Moderate-intensity resistance training (45-55% 1RM) is more effective than high-intensity resistance training (80-90% 1RM) for improving the lipid profile, particularly for lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, when total training load is equalized.Good
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