Cholesterol levels are one factor that affects heart disease risk, but it is more complicated than having high numbers being bad and low cholesterol being good. Your body needs cholesterol to make new cells in your body, explains MayoClinic.com, and in fact most of the cholesterol in your system is produced from your body. You also have two cholesterol types, low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and high-density lipoprotein, HDL. LDL is commonly referred to as bad cholesterol, while HDL is considered good cholesterol.
Total Cholesterol
After you get your blood tested to determine your cholesterol levels, you will find out what your total cholesterol level is. Total cholesterol tells you how much LDL and HDL cholesterol you have combined. The American Heart Association provides guidelines on combined LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. Less than 200 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dL, of blood puts you in the desirable range, with a low risk for heart disease.
If your HDL and LDL cholesterol level is above 200 mg/dL you are at increased risk for developing heart disease. The borderline high area set by the American Heart Association ranges from 200 to 239 mg/dL. Anything above 240 mg/dL doubles your risk of heart disease compared to someone below 200 mg/dL.
HDL Guidelines
While you don't want to have high total cholesterol levels, higher HDL levels actually help protect you from developing heart disease. HDL cholesterol picks up excess LDL cholesterol and prevents it from attaching to your artery walls, explains MayoClinic.com.
American Heart Association guidelines indicate that women and men both increase their protection against heart disease with HDL levels of 60 mg/dL of blood or higher. Women with HDL below 50 mg/dL are at increased risk for heart disease, while the at risk level for men is 40 mg/dL.
LDL Guidelines
LDL cholesterol can attach to your arteries, hardening them and making them more narrow. This can damage your heart or lead to a heart attack. Ideal and at risk LDL levels are dependent upon many other health factors and should be examined closely with your physician. The American Heart Association does provide some general guidelines though.
LDL below 100 mg/dL is considered optimal. A number up to 129 mg/dL is still near optimal. A number between 130 to 159 mg/dL is borderline high and 160 to 189 mg/dL is listed as high. If you are above 190 mg/dL, you have very high LDL cholesterol.
