Managing Cholesterol In Midlife & What Worked For Me
- Alice
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
One of the quieter shifts I noticed in midlife wasn’t to do with how I felt, but with what showed up on paper - aka my blood test results. Results that had always been fine in the past but had started to move in the wrong direction...
my total cholesterol started creeping up (the overall amount of cholesterol circulating in my blood)
my HDL was lower than I’d like ( HDL is often called “good” cholesterol because it helps carry excess cholesterol out of the bloodstream)
my triglycerides were higher than before (these are a type of fat in the blood, closely linked to blood sugar balance and metabolic health)
They weren't numbers that meant I needed to be too concerned with - yet - but enough to trigger the watch and wait conversation with my Doctor - the type of conversation nobody wants and that often leads to medication if nothing changes...
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Why cholesterol often shifts around midlife & menopause
During midlife, peri-menopause and menopause, cholesterol changes are extremely common, even in women who eat well and stay active. That’s because oestrogen plays a protective role in:
lipid metabolism and how your body processes and transports fats like cholesterol
inflammation control (low-grade inflammation increases cardiovascular risk)
cholesterol clearance (how efficiently cholesterol is removed from the bloodstream)
So as our oestrogen naturally declines:
LDL often rises
triglycerides often increase (especially when insulin sensitivity drops)
HDL levels can fall, meaning less protective transport of cholesterol away from the arteries
These things happen not because we've "let ourselves go" and have stopped taking care of our health, but because of the natural biological transition we experience at this time in our lives.
Why spirulina stood out to me
Before I went down the cholesterol medication route (prescribed statins) I did a lot of research into what natural supplements and everyday additions I could take instead. And this was when I discovered Spirulina and got excited because it has one of the more consistent evidence bases for cholesterol and triglyceride support.
Research has linked spirulina supplementation with:
reductions in total cholesterol
reductions in triglycerides (important because high triglycerides increase cardiovascular risk, especially in midlife)
improvements in HDL
reduced oxidative stress (oxidative damage affects blood vessels and plays a role in heart disease)
So I started adding in spirulina daily and at my follow-up bloods, my cholesterol markers had moved back toward a healthier range. So much so that the Doctor remarked; "I don't know what it is you're doing, but keep doing it!"!
I hadn't had any dramatic medical intervention or been prescribed cholesterol medication. I'd just taken up a small, consistent habit that my body clearly responded to.
👉 Explore Spirulina in LiveGood Super Greens here if you're ready to try it for yourself.
Why this matters beyond the numbers
Midlife health decisions often feel rushed and alarming:
“Your numbers are up.”
“Let’s monitor.”
“We’ll discuss next steps.”
Taking Spirulina gave me a sense of control in that in-between space where you’re not at a super high risk, but you want to stay within the safe zone. And psychologically, that control mattered to me.
I wanted to be doing something to improve my health without resorting to medication that I might have to stay on for the rest of my life. And when something has been shown to work, and is as simple as drinking a glass of juice, you’re far more likely to keep it up and see the real change happen.
What Spirulina I take and how
On it's own I'll be straight, Spirulina tastes disgusting!! So I take it through LiveGood Organic SuperGreens, which already contains it - and a whole heap of other midlife-friendly superfoods - at a supportive level. One glass a day and I'm done. So if your cholesterol has shifted in midlife and you’re being told to “keep an eye on it”, spirulina is in my opinion absolutely worth considering. For me, it’s become an easy, non-negotiable, fuss-free habit that simply makes sense.
👉 You can explore the spirulina-rich SuperGreens I use here if you’re curious.
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