Is Reformer Pilates Good for Lowering Cholesterol?

Reformer Pilates has real evidence behind a rise in HDL, your "good" cholesterol. It has weaker evidence for lowering total or LDL cholesterol.

Two small studies found the HDL effect after 8 to 9 weeks. A larger 2021 review of 587 people found no cholesterol benefit at all in people without diabetes. That's the honest starting point, if you're weighing up a reformer partly for your heart.

What the research actually shows

"I keep seeing that Pilates lowers cholesterol. Is that actually true, or is everyone just repeating the same one study?" It's a fair question. Mostly, yes.

Two studies have looked at reformer or equipment-based Pilates directly. In the first, 22 healthy adults did reformer Pilates for nine weeks. Their HDL cholesterol rose more than a control group's did. That study didn't report a change in total cholesterol or LDL either way (Yılmaz et al., 2022).

In the second, an 8-week Pilates program on university students found the same shape of result. HDL went up. Total cholesterol and LDL stayed flat (Kim et al., 2014).

Both studies were small, at 22 and 18 people. But two small studies landing on the same narrow finding is a real pattern, not a coincidence.

Then in 2021, researchers pooled 587 people across 15 randomised trials. For people without diabetes, Pilates made no real difference to total cholesterol, LDL, HDL or triglycerides. People with diabetes did see genuine drops in total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides (Chen et al., 2021).

If you don't have diabetes, your cholesterol case for reformer Pilates rests mostly on those two smaller HDL studies. It isn't backed by one large, settled body of evidence.

Why you'll see bigger claims elsewhere

Plenty of Pilates studios and blogs put it more simply: Pilates lowers cholesterol, full stop. Trace those claims back, though, and they almost always lead to the same nine-week reformer study above, stretched to cover total cholesterol and LDL. That study only measured HDL, blood sugar and insulin, so it can't actually back up a claim about total cholesterol or LDL either way.

Nobody is lying to you here. This is just how a nuanced finding flattens as it gets repeated from site to site.

The honest version is narrower, and a little less exciting. It's also the version that will still hold up if you mention it to your doctor.

What reformer Pilates is genuinely good for

None of this makes reformer Pilates a poor choice for your health. Your evidence for strength, posture, flexibility and low-impact conditioning runs far deeper than the cholesterol research, and most of it holds up well.

The HDL finding still matters, even on its own. Raising HDL is one of the few real cardiovascular wins that gentle, joint-friendly exercise can plausibly deliver for you. That matters most if higher-impact cardio isn't realistic right now, whether that's an old injury, a joint issue, or just a busy season of your life.

We'd also point you to something no study measures directly: consistency. An exercise you'll actually keep doing for months beats a perfect exercise you quit after three weeks.

Reformer Pilates is built for that kind of staying power. The springs support your body rather than punish it, your sessions can be short, and it's kind to a body that's recovering, ageing, or simply done with high-impact workouts.

FAQs

What else should I do to lower my cholesterol?

Exercise and Sports Science Australia's position statement points to a mix of aerobic and strength training, plus changes to what you eat. Reformer Pilates can sit alongside that routine, not instead of it.

We cover the evidence, and what a realistic result looks like, in our guide to the best exercise to lower cholesterol.

Are there downsides to relying on reformer Pilates for cholesterol management?

Yes, one honest one. If your cholesterol needs to come down and Pilates is your only exercise, it probably won't shift your total cholesterol or LDL much, based on the current evidence.

Pair it with regular aerobic movement, and ask your doctor where your numbers actually sit.

The verdict

Reformer Pilates earns its place in your heart-healthy routine. It offers real strength, real consistency and a modest, genuine HDL benefit.

It doesn't earn the bigger, blanket claim some sites make about cholesterol generally. If cholesterol is your main reason for considering a reformer, add regular aerobic exercise to your mix and get a proper lipid panel from your GP, so you know what you're actually working with.

If you'd like help working out whether a studio or foldable reformer suits your space and your goals, our buyer's guide walks you through it. You're also welcome to speak to a specialist directly.