There are medications that kill cells and lower total blood cholesterol levels (e.g., nicotinic acid). However, any study that claims you can reduce your actual blood level of saturated fat by eating more polyunsaturated fat is very questionable. Many experts feel that attempting to lower LDL or total cholesterol by diet alone is not a good idea as this will cause triglycerides to rise and blood sugar to fall. In addition, saturated fats have been shown to raise HDL levels, suggesting that high levels of HDL may help prevent hardening of the arteries in the first place.