You know that not all cholesterol is bad. But do you know what the good cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol, does for your body? High density lipoprotein, better known as HDL cholesterol, can actually lower your bad cholesterol. It is believed that it does this by carrying LDL cholesterol out of the body through the liver. Studies have shown that as HDL cholesterol levels rise, the heart attack risks go down. Furthermore, if HDL cholesterol levels dip below 40 mg/dL, the risk for heart attack increases.
The American Heart Association knows the benefits of HDL cholesterol. To help you maximize the advantages of good cholesterol, the AHA recommends that you eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week. This recommendation comes from the findings of numerous studies, including one led by a team of researchers in Pennsylvania. In it, 74 patients with high cholesterol followed one of two treatment regimens. One group took standard medication. The other group took fish oil supplements as part of an overall alternative treatment plan. While both groups benefitted from lower cholesterol levels, the group following the alternative treatment plan that included fish oil had a greater overall reduction in cholesterol!
Experts now agree: fish oil, when taken with a physician-prescribed treatment plan, greatly helps patients with high cholesterol lower their levels.
However, not all fish oil supplements are the same. Most only have 100 mg of fish oil per tablet. To get a beneficial dose, you would have take up to ten pills! The fact is, many fish oil supplements are not concentrated enough to be practical or useful so only choose a supplement of the best strength available.
