When should you take cholesterol medication?

You can take some statin medications any time of day, including: Atorvastatin Rosuvastatin (Crestor, Ezallor Sprinkle) Pitavastatin (Livalo) Fluvastatin ER tablets (Lescol XL) But some statins should be taken at night, including: Fluvastatin ( IR capsules ) Lovastatin (both IR and ER tablets) Simvastatin Pravastatin

How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Key takeaways:

Many people can lower high cholesterol naturally by prioritizing heart-healthy foods, quitting tobacco products, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
Making lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol might mean you no longer need cholesterol-lowering medications like statins — or have to deal with their side effects.
Some people still need statins to lower cholesterol. But statins should never replace a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle.

Many people with high cholesterol take medications to bring their numbers down. But what are the other options? Can you lower cholesterol without medication?

There’s scientific evidence that changing what you eat, exercising, and stopping smoking can naturally lower cholesterol. For some people, this is enough to reduce or even remove the need for medication. Let’s look at some ways to lower your cholesterol levels naturally.

Can you lower cholesterol naturally?

Yes, you can lower your level of non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “bad” cholesterol naturally.

Changing what you eat and how you live can have a beneficial effect on your cholesterol levels — whether or not you need medication for high cholesterol.

These changes raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol, while lowering non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are a different type of fat in your bloodstream that are linked to health problems.

If your cholesterol is very high, these changes alone may not be enough to bring your non-HDL cholesterol into a healthy range. But they can still improve your health and even help your cholesterol-lowering medication work better.

Here are seven science-based changes you can make to improve your cholesterol.

1. Choose a cholesterol-friendly diet

Featuring Paul Knoepflmacher, MD, Rachel Bond, MD, FACC, Michelle Weisfelner Bloom, MD, FACC, FHFSA, Frances Largeman-Roth, RDNReviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | April 9, 2025

People used to think that eating cholesterol in their diet increased cholesterol levels in their blood. But science has shown that this isn’t quite true. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans of 2015-2020 said there wasn’t enough evidence to prove that eating cholesterol-rich foods causes heart disease.

Even so, it’s smart to limit foods high in cholesterol, like meat, cheese, and eggs. It’s also important to limit highly processed and ultra-processed foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and sugar.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

High‑cholesterol foods to eat and avoid: Learn which foods to limit and which ones can help lower your cholesterol naturally.
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Alcohol and statins: If you take a statin, here are some things you need to know before drinking alcohol.

But also make sure to prioritize foods rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. These can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.

This means limiting these foods and drinks:

White bread
Sweets
Fruit juice
Soda
Fatty cuts of red meat
Processed meats
Fried foods
Packaged baked goods

2. Consider supplements

Some supplements may help keep cholesterol levels in a healthy range, including:

Omega-3 fatty acids: Strong evidence shows omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglyceride levels in your blood.
Red yeast rice: This supplement may help lower your total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Berberine: Berberine is a produce found in some plants. It may lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
Probiotics: Probiotics are live microorganisms, like bacteria and yeast. Certain types — like Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Lactobacillus plantarum — may help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Keep in mind that supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA. This means quality may vary depending on the manufacturer. That’s why it’s best to use these supplements along with a cholesterol-friendly diet. They shouldn’t replace your medication either. But they may help your medication work better.

3. Build exercise into your daily routine

If you have high cholesterol, exercise can help lower it naturally. Exercise lowers the risk of developing heart disease when your LDL and triglyceride levels are high.

A review of studies looked at how aerobic exercise affects cholesterol. Researchers found that regular exercise increased HDL (good) cholesterol by 4.6% and lowered LDL and triglycerides (bad cholesterol) by 5% and 3.7%, respectively.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults get at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. You don’t have to do it all at once. You can break it into smaller sessions, like 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Brisk walking is an example of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity.

4. Stop smoking

Smoking harms every organ in your body, including your heart and blood vessels. It can also affect your cholesterol levels.

Smoking cigarettes can raise triglycerides. Research also shows that quitting smoking can help improve HDL cholesterol.

There isn’t enough evidence yet on how other forms of smoking affects cholesterol, such as vaping or smoking marijuana. But it’s unlikely that any form of smoking is good for your heart.

5. Get enough sleep

Poor sleep can increase your risk for many health problems, including heart disease. Not getting enough sleep is also linked to higher levels of triglycerides and LDLs in your blood. Studies show that people who sleep less than 6 hours a night are more likely to have high cholesterol.

Try to prioritize at least 8 hours of sleep a night, or enough to feel rested when you wake up. Going to bed at the same time every night can also help improve your sleep.

6. Limit alcohol intake

Studies show that drinking too much alcohol increases LDL cholesterol and harms heart health. Drinking a lot of alcohol also increases triglycerides, which can cause liver disease and heart problems. In fact, it’s very likely that no amount of alcohol is completely safe or beneficial for overall health. Cutting back as much as possible may be best.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1 to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. In the U.S., 1 drink equals 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1.5 oz of hard liquor.

7. Keep a weight that is healthy for you

Excess body weight can raise cholesterol and increase triglycerides. In people with excess body weight, weight loss can improve LDL and total cholesterol levels.

But high cholesterol isn’t only a problem for people who have excess body weight. Even people with a BMI that’s considered “normal” or “underweight” can have high cholesterol. So, focus on the other items on this list too.

How do you know if your cholesterol levels are high?

You can find out your cholesterol levels with a simple blood test. A cholesterol blood test can show you your levels of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

In general, here’s where you want your cholesterol levels to be:

Total cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL (bad) cholesterol: Less than 130 mg/dL (ideally under 100 mg/dL)
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL
HDL (good) cholesterol: More than 40 mg/dL in men and more than 50 mg/dL in women

You may need to fast (not eat or drink anything except water) for 8 to 12 hours before your cholesterol test. Eating or drinking before your test can affect your results. Some newer cholesterol tests don’t require fasting. Your healthcare team will tell you if you need to fast.

How long does it take to lower cholesterol?

Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications for high cholesterol. They improve cholesterol levels in 4 weeks. Natural remedies take longer to work. It can take weeks to months to show changes from natural remedies alone.

Using both medication and natural remedies can help lower your cholesterol levels faster and keep them in a healthy range. You might even be able to lower your medication dose over time if you continue using natural remedies.

Frequently asked questions

Stress doesn’t directly affect cholesterol levels. But stress can increase other hormones like cortisol. Over time, high cortisol levels may raise your cholesterol levels. Since there’s no direct link between stress and cholesterol, it’s not clear how much stress will impact your levels.

You can take some statin medications any time of day, including:

Atorvastatin
Rosuvastatin (Crestor, Ezallor Sprinkle)
Pitavastatin (Livalo)
Fluvastatin ER tablets (Lescol XL)

But some statins should be taken at night, including:

Fluvastatin (IR capsules)
Lovastatin (both IR and ER tablets)
Simvastatin
Pravastatin

The bottom line

Many people with high cholesterol take statin medications to lower their cholesterol levels. But whether or not you take statins, changes to your diet and lifestyle can have a real impact on your cholesterol levels. Making certain lifestyle choices may even lower your need for statins — or remove that need altogether.

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Written by:

Tracy Norfleet, MD, FACP

Dr. Tracy Norfleet is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician, health expert, and physician leader with over 20 years of experience practicing adult medicine. Dual-certified by the American Board of Obesity Medicine and the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Tracy possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both traditional medical practices and innovative lifestyle interventions for chronic disease management and reversal.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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