Cholesterol levels can be viewed in two ways: total blood cholesterol level and individual components. A healthy total blood cholesterol level is less than 200 mg/dL, while HDL levels should be between 40-50 mg/dL for men and 50-60 mg/dL for women. LDL levels should be below 100 mg/dL, while triglycerides should be below 105 mg/dL. High cholesterol levels can be reduced through diet and lifestyle changes or medication.
A healthy cholesterol range can be viewed in two different ways. The first looks at the total blood cholesterol level, while the other looks at the individual components of blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol levels are determined by taking a blood test and analyzing the blood that is collected, and often the report will also include a note about the normal cholesterol range for reference.
Guidelines used by the American Heart Association suggest that a healthy total blood cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dL. Many other organizations follow AHA guidelines, although some clinicians have suggested that levels as high as 240 may be perfectly acceptable for some patients. According to AHA guidelines, a cholesterol range of 200 to 239 is “borderline,” while anything above 240 is a cause for concern, as it may suggest an increased risk of heart disease.
The individual components of blood cholesterol are high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol”, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol” and triglycerides. HDL levels should be between 40 and 50 mg/dL for men and 50 and 60 mg/dL for women, although slightly higher readings are also acceptable. LDL levels should be below 100 mg/dL, while triglycerides should be below 105 mg/dL. HDL should ideally make up about 25% of your total blood cholesterol level, although a slightly higher ratio isn’t much of a concern.
Some patients have cholesterol levels of up to 90 mg/dL total, which can put them at risk for stroke. As a general rule, however, low cholesterol levels are cause for praise, as they indicate that a patient is eating a healthy diet and exercising, although they may have a genetic advantage that promotes low cholesterol levels. Individual fluctuations in the cholesterol range can also be caused by factors such as recent changes in diet and exercise, so an abnormal reading shouldn’t be a cause for panic.
If a patient has high blood cholesterol or an unusually high level of LDL cholesterol, a doctor can discuss some options for lowering the range for better health. Diet and lifestyle changes can sometimes reduce cholesterol levels back into a normal range, and it is also possible to use medications to manage extremely high cholesterol levels. These medications are most effective when combined with dietary changes, so they shouldn’t be considered a magic bullet for solving cholesterol problems.
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