Cholesterol

What Are Healthy Levels of Cholesterol?

Your total blood cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:

Desirable — Less than 200 mg/dL

Borderline high risk — 200–239 mg/dL

High risk — 240 mg/dL and over

Your LDL cholesterol level greatly affects your risk of heart attack and stroke. The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. In fact, it’s a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. Your LDL cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal

100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal

130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High

160 to 189 mg/dL High

190 mg/dL and above Very High

Your HDL cholesterol level

In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL. HDL cholesterol that's less than 40 mg/dL is low. Low HDL cholesterol puts you at high risk for heart disease. Smoking, being overweight and being sedentary can all result in lower HDL cholesterol.

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