New research has emerged that has found people can lower their cholesterol by working out at their local gym.

The husband and wife team of Dr George and Kristi Kelley studied the effects of weight training on cholesterol levels in adults. A total of 1,329 men and women of various ages participated in almost 30 studies.

Researchers found the group who lifted weights experienced a significant drop of three percent in total cholesterol, five percent in LDL, which is known as the bad cholesterol, and six percent in triglycerides.

There were no changes in the levels of HDL, or good cholesterol.
"[T]he decreases we observed in total cholesterol would be equivalent to a five percent decrease in the risk of heart disease," Dr George Kelley said.

Some 700,000 people die from heart disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

People who can’t weight lift or have no desire to enter a gym may want to look into nutritional supplements. Some people have found fish oil supplements can lower their cholesterol level.