Your body needs cholesterol, a fatty material, to function as it should. The liver produces about 75 percent of your blood cholesterol. The remaining 25 percent comes from animal products you eat. Excess cholesterol can lead to plaque formation in your arteries, which can increase your risk of heart disease. Have your doctor run a lipid panel to check total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels to make sure they are within the normal, healthy range.
Normal Total Levels
The American Heart Association recommends keeping your total cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL to decrease your risk for coronary heart disease. Total cholesterol levels between 200 mg/dL and 239 mg/dL are borderline high. A cholesterol concentration of 240 mg/dL or above doubles your risk of heart disease compared with someone whose total cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dL. Cholesterol levels increase as you age.
Normal HDL Levels
HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol because it protects against heart disease by transporting LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, out of your body. Ideally, your HDL cholesterol should be above 60 mg/dL, according to American Heart Association guidelines. HDL cholesterol concentrations less than 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women increase the risk for coronary heart disease. Smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise and high triglyceride levels can lower HDL cholesterol.
Normal LDL Levels
A healthy LDL cholesterol concentration should be below 100 mg/dL. LDL levels between 100 and 129 mg/dL are considered near optimal. Concentrations between 130 to 159 mg/dL are borderline high; levels between 160 and 189 mg/dL are high, and concentrations above 190 mg/dL are very high. The excess LDL cholesterol stored in your arteries creates plaques that narrow the arteries and constrict blood flow, leading to heart disease.
Normal Triglyceride Levels
When you eat more calories than you burn, the excess calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. These triglycerides increase the amount of fat in your blood. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or below is considered normal by the American Heart Association. Triglyceride concentrations of 150 to 199 mg/dL are borderline high. Levels of 200 to 499 mg/dL are high, and concentrations above 500 mg/dL are considered very high. High triglyceride levels can be caused by being overweight, smoking, being physically inactive and drinking too much alcohol. Diabetes and genetic disorders can also raise triglyceride levels.
