Bay leaf decoction water and low-impact aerobic exercise impact on blood cholesterol levels

Abstract

Hypercholesterolemia is a global health concern, including in Indonesia, potentially leading to coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke if left untreated. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of bay leaf decoction and low-impact aerobic exercise on reducing blood cholesterol levels in patients. Used a quasi-experimental design with 120 participants, randomly assigned to two groups, the first group consumed bay leaf decoction (100 ml, twice daily for 7 days), while the second group underwent low-impact aerobic exercise (3 times a week for 7 days). Blood cholesterol levels were measured, and paired t-tests were employed for statistical analysis. Results revealed that both interventions significantly lowered cholesterol levels after 7 days (p<0.001 for bay leaf decoction and p=0.001 for low-impact aerobics). The bay leaf decoction group achieved the highest reduction at 25.3 mg/dl. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of bay leaf decoction and low-impact aerobic exercise as non-pharmacological approaches to manage blood cholesterol levels. It reinforces the notion that these interventions can be valuable in addressing hypercholesterolemia.