Exercise and Cholesterol

Exercise is an important part of any plan to lower cholesterol

Many people ask the question: “Does exercise lower cholesterol?” The answer is YES. When you’re trying to lose weight and are working on reaching your cholesterol goal, getting regular exercise can make a big difference.

You may already know that being overweight or obese can increase your cholesterol levels, but there are a number of other important health benefits that come from staying active, including helping to:

Prevent and control high blood pressure
Keep cholesterol levels healthy
Prevent and control diabetes

Increasing your activity level doesn’t have to be difficult. And it doesn’t have to be all at once either. Instead of long sessions of activity, you can spread it out over the course of your day. For example, you might start out with a 10-minute walk in the morning and a 10-minute walk in the evening.

Make the commitment and get the health benefits of exercise

Getting enough exercise isn’t as hard as you might think. Getting some form of exercise, even for as little as 150 minutes spread out over the week, can make a big difference. Always be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise program.

Aerobic exercise means any activity that increases your heart rate. Some good examples of aerobic exercise include the following:

Walking fast
Swimming
Riding a bike
Playing tennis
Pushing a lawn mower

Talk to your doctor about healthy exercise strategies for you

Be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program. He or she can help identify a simple and effective program that works best for you.

For more information, visit the American Council on Exercise. This organization supports exercise and provides ways to get and stay fit. And, it provides helpful educational materials about exercise and fitness.

Next: Find out how you can save on your CRESTOR prescription

INTERESTED IN SAVINGS ON CRESTOR?

Learn more about several ways to save on your prescription.

START SAVING

NEED ANSWERS TO FAQs?

Get answers to common questions about CRESTOR.

Answers to common questions

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT CRESTOR TABLETS

CRESTOR is not right for everyone.
Do not take CRESTOR if you have liver problems or are allergic to rosuvastatin or any of the ingredients in CRESTOR.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially with fever; have muscle problems that do not go away even after your healthcare provider told you to stop taking CRESTOR; feel unusually tired; or have loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark urine, or yellowing of skin or eyes. These could be signs of rare but serious side effects.
Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver before starting treatment and if you have symptoms of liver problems while taking CRESTOR.
CRESTOR may cause you to have protein and blood in your urine.
Elevated blood sugar levels have been reported with statins, including CRESTOR.
The most common side effects may include headache, nausea, muscle aches, weakness, and constipation.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. CRESTOR may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how CRESTOR works.
Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. CRESTOR can pass in breast milk and may harm your baby. Do not breastfeed while taking CRESTOR.
Talk to your healthcare provider for more information about CRESTOR.

Approved Uses

Prescription CRESTOR is used:
- to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events, such as death from cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke or the need for procedures to improve blood flow to the heart called arterial revascularization in adults who do not have known heart disease but do have certain additional risk factors
CRESTOR is used along with diet to:
- lower the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or “bad” cholesterol in adults with primary hyperlipidemia
- slow the buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) in the walls of blood vessels
- treat adults and children 8 years of age and older with high blood cholesterol due to heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), an inherited condition that causes high levels of LDL-C
- along with other cholesterol lowering treatments or alone if such treatments are unavailable in adults and children 7 years of age and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), an inherited condition that causes high levels of LDL-C
- to treat adults with primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (an inherited condition that causes high levels of cholesterol and fat) or hypertriglyceridemia

Please read the Patient Information and full Prescribing Information.

You may report side effects related to AstraZeneca products.

References:

^1a ^1b ^1c ^1d CRESTOR® (rosuvastatin) [prescribing information]. Wilmington, DE: AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP; 2024.
^ Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) [prescribing information]. Morgantown, WV: Viatris Specialty LLC, 2024.
^ Zocor® (simvastatin) [Prescribing Information]. Jersey City, NJ: Organon & Co.; 2023.
^ Davidson M, Ma P, Stein EA, et al. Comparison of effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin in patients with type IIa or IIb hypercholesterolemia. Am J Cardiol. 2002;89:268–275.
^ Schwartz GG, Bolognese MA, Tremblay BP, et al. Efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia and a high risk of coronary heart disease: A randomized, controlled trial. Am Heart J. 2004;148:e4.
^ Olsson A, Istad H, Luurila O, et al. Effects of rosuvastatin and atorvastatin compared over 52 weeks of treatment in patients with hypercholesterolemia. Am Heart J. 2002;144:1044-1051.

Reference:

^ Data on File, US-62651. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

This site is intended for US consumers only.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND APPROVED USES FOR CRESTOR TABLETS
SEE MORE

The information on this Web site should not take the place of talking with your doctor or healthcare professional. If you have any questions about your condition, or if you would like more information about CRESTOR, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Only you and your healthcare professional can decide if CRESTOR is right for you.