Cholesterol is a naturally occurring, waxy, fat-like substance. Approximately 75 percent of the cholesterol in your body is made from your own liver and other cells, and the other 25 percent comes from what you eat. Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly, but too much puts you at risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and heart attack. You should have a fasting lipoprotein protein profile test every five years, starting at age 20, testing your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Normal Total Cholesterol
Your cholesterol level is measured in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter. A normal cholesterol level is anything less than 200 mg/dL, putting you at lower risk for coronary heart disease. Levels between 200 and 239 mg/dL put you in the borderline category for developing coronary heart disease, and 240 mg/dL and above puts you at high risk.
Normal LDL Cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL, is considered the "bad" cholesterol. If too much of it is circulating in your bloodstream it accumulates on the walls of your arteries, putting you at risk of heart attack or stroke. A normal, in this case referred to as optimal, LDL cholesterol level is less than 100 mg/dL. If you are at a very high risk of heart disease you should aim for a maximum of 70 mg/dL.
For the average person, an LDL reading of 100 to 129 mg/dL is considered near ideal, 130 to 159 mg/dL is borderline high, 160 to 189 mg/dL is high, and over 190 mg/dL puts you in the very-high-risk category for developing coronary heart disease.
Normal HDL Cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL, is considered the "good" cholesterol because it works to keep LDL cholesterol from attaching to the walls of your arteries. For this reason, higher level are better than lower levels. A normal HDL level, putting you in the category that is protective against heart disease, is 60 mg/dL and above, and an HDL cholesterol level between 50 and 59 mg/dL is considered even better. A HDL choelsterol level lower than 40 mg/dL for men, and 50 mg/dL for women, is a major risk factor for developing heart disease.
Normal Triglyceride Cholesterol
When you eat, any calories that your body does not use right away are converted into triglycerides, a type of fat that is found in your blood. Your body stores triglycerides in your fat cells, and hormones release them when you need energy. If you frequently eat more calories than your body needs, your risk of high triglycerides increases. A normal triglyceride level is less than 150 mg/dL, between 150 and 199 mg/dL is considered borderline high, 200 to 499 mg/dL is considered high and above 500 mg/dL is considered very high.
