Lipid Profile Reader: Is Your Cholesterol Normal?
Type in the numbers from your lipid report and see where each falls, including the tighter targets that apply with diabetes. It also works out non-HDL and the TG/HDL ratio for you.
This tool is for education only. It is not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your doctor. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Lipid profile normal ranges (mg/dL)
| Measure | Desirable | Borderline | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | Under 200 | 200 to 239 | 240 or more |
| LDL (no diabetes) | Under 100 | 100 to 159 | 160 or more |
| LDL (with diabetes) | Under 100 (many doctors aim under 70) | 100 to 129 | 130 or more |
| Non-HDL (with diabetes) | Under 130 | 130 to 159 | 160 or more |
| HDL | 40 or more (men), 50 or more (women) | None | Below these is low |
| Triglycerides | Under 150 | 150 to 199 | 200 to 499; 500 or more is very high |
| TG/HDL ratio | Under 3 | None | 3 or more (often seen with insulin resistance) |
Bands follow NCEP ATP III, with the diabetes targets used by the Lipid Association of India.
How to read a lab report
Your report lists total cholesterol, HDL (the protective kind), LDL (the kind that builds up in arteries) and triglycerides. If LDL is not printed, it can be estimated as total minus HDL minus triglycerides ÷ 5 (the Friedewald formula), but only when triglycerides are under 400 mg/dL. Non-HDL is total minus HDL.
Fasting or non-fasting?
Triglycerides rise after meals, so many labs ask for a 9 to 12 hour fast. Non-fasting results are acceptable for a first look, but a high triglyceride value is worth repeating fasting.
Common questions
Total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL is desirable for adults. The targets for LDL are tighter for people with diabetes.
Under 100 mg/dL is desirable, and many doctors aim under 70 mg/dL if you also have heart disease. Your doctor sets your target.
Triglycerides divided by HDL. A ratio of 3 or more is often seen with insulin resistance.
The Friedewald formula only works when triglycerides are under 400 mg/dL. Ask your lab for a direct LDL.
Fasting 9 to 12 hours gives the most reliable triglyceride value. Ask your doctor which they prefer.
No. Good numbers may be because of the medicine. Keep taking it as prescribed and review it with your doctor.