More than 102 million adults in the United States have high cholesterol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than 35 million Americans have levels high enough that doctors consider them at significant risk for developing heart disease. The only way to measure cholesterol and triglycerides is through a blood test.
Source
Cholesterol and triglycerides are normal compounds within the human body. Your body needs a certain level of cholesterol and triglycerides to function properly. Your liver produces most of the cholesterol in your body. You consume the rest of the cholesterol with the food you eat, along with fat in the form of triglycerides. Cholesterol is present in every cell membrane in your body and is important for the production of bile acids, skin oils and hormones, as well as for metabolizing vitamins A, D, E and K. Your body uses triglycerides as a source of energy between meals. Most of the fat you eat is in the form of triglycerides, and most of the fat in your body is in the form of triglycerides as well. Most cholesterol and triglycerides are stored elsewhere in your body -- only a small percentage flows through the bloodstream at any given time.
Anatomy
The bloodstream moves cholesterol and triglycerides from the gut to the awaiting cells of the body. Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, fat-like substances that don't dissolve into the watery plasma of blood well. The body overcomes this by packaging lipids onto special proteins to create lipoproteins, which flow well through the bloodstream. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is associated with heart disease because it carries cholesterol from the gut to the cells, introducing more cholesterol into the bloodstream. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, lowers your risk for heart disease. HDL scrapes excess cholesterol from arterial walls and delivers it to the liver, where it is processed and eliminated from the body. Very low-density lipoprotein, or VLDL, carries triglycerides through the bloodstream.
Testing
A doctor uses a cholesterol and triglyceride panel to assess a patient's risk for heart disease. Medical laboratories measure the different components of cholesterol with a test known as a lipid profile or lipid panel. This panel measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. You may be required to fast, or refrain from eating or drinking anything but water, for nine to 12 hours before having your blood drawn to ensure accurate results. Alcohol consumption raises triglyceride levels drastically -- do not consume alcohol for at least 24 hours before your laboratory test.
Normal Levels
LabTestsOnline.org lists the results for a normal cholesterol and triglyceride panel. Normal total cholesterol measures less than 200 mg/dL. LDL should be below 100 mg/dL. Doctors consider triglyceride levels below 150 mg/dL to be healthy. Low levels of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides are associated with the least risk for heart disease. High levels of HDL are healthier for your heart. Your HDL should be 60 mg/dL or higher for optimal heart health.
