Healthy Cholesterol Levels

Healthy cholesterol levels for total cholesterol are anything under 200 mg/dL; however, most cholesterol-lowering treatment decisions are based on HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, not total cholesterol. Generally, healthy cholesterol levels for LDL would be under 100 mg/dL, but risk factors for heart disease can affect this. Healthy cholesterol levels for HDL are above 40 mg/dL; the higher the numbers, the better.

 

Healthy Cholesterol Levels: An Introduction

When a person considers healthy cholesterol levels, there are actually several cholesterol numbers that should be kept in mind. These cholesterol numbers include:
 
Triglyceride levels also need to be considered. Although triglycerides are actually not a type of cholesterol, they can play a role in the development of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.
 

Healthy Cholesterol Levels for Total Cholesterol

A healthy
 cholesterol level for total cholesterol is under 200 mg/dL. It's best to consider total cholesterol to be a good overview number, not the number that you use to decide whether or not you have healthy cholesterol levels.
 
Remember, total cholesterol levels can be misleading. For example, a person can have a "healthy" total cholesterol level but have a low HDL level and high LDL level. Both low HDL levels and high LDL levels increase a person's risk for heart disease. This is why most cholesterol lowering-treatment decisions are based on HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, not total cholesterol.
 
(Healthy Cholesterol Levels Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD