What are Normal Cholesterol Readings?

Cholesterol readings are what you’ll get once you have your cholesterol levels checked. Your test report will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). It shows your total cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels, and provides you an idea of your lipid triglyceride levels. Cholesterol readings are essential for understanding your risk for heart disease.

Total Cholesterol Level

• Less than 200 mg/dL: Desirable
• 200–239 mg/dL: Borderline-high risk
• 240 mg/dL and over: High risk

Good HDL

HDL – high-density cholesterol – is the good kind of cholesterol. With HDL cholesterol, higher levels are better. An ideal cholesterol reading for men would be at least 40 mg/dL, while women should have a healthy reading of no less than 50 mg/dL. Although, many physicians prefer that both men and women have HDL levels that are in the 60 to 80 mg/dL range, coupled with low readings of bad cholesterol LDL.

Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at higher risk for heart disease.

Bad LDL

LDL – low-density cholesterol – is the bad kind of cholesterol. The object with LDL cholesterol is to keep it as low as possible. An ideal cholesterol level for bad cholesterol would be less than 100 mg/dL, although up to 129 mg/dL is considered within a normal range.

• Less than 100 mg/dL: Optimal
• 100 to 129 mg/dL: Near or above optimal
• 130 to 159 mg/dL: Borderline high
• 160 to 189 mg/dL: High
• 190 mg/dL and above: Very high

Lipid Triglyceride

Triglycerides are actually not cholesterol, but they are almost always part of the cholesterol readings. Triglycerides are fats that get carried through the bloodstream. High levels of triglyceride can potentially mean higher chances for developing heart disease. Triglyceride levels less than 150 mg/dL is optimal, while level of 150-199 mg/dL is borderline high.

• Less than 150 mg/dL: Normal
• 150–199 mg/dL: Borderline-high
• 200–499 mg/dL: High
• 500 mg/dL: Very high