Cholesterol Readings - Understanding What All Those Numbers Mean

Cholesterol Readings

A blood test is needed to get your cholesterol readings, but once you have that done, you may be wondering what all those numbers mean anyway. When you get those readings, knowing what they mean is going to be important. This way you know whether your levels are healthy or if they need improvement to keep your body in the best health possible.

First, to understand your cholesterol readings, you need to understand the difference between good and bad levels of cholesterol. The good is known as high density lipoproteins, or HDL, while the bad is known as low density lipoproteins, or LDL. LDL is the type that can cause damage to your arteries, while the good HDL works to eliminate the bad.

When you take a look at the readings that you get, you will have a total number, which is the sum of your HDL and your LDL, combined together. A physician can let you know if your numbers are too high and what you can do to lower your total levels. Doctors are especially concerned about the LDL levels, because they are the ones that can cause negative effects on your health.

A Look at the Numbers

In order to know what the cholesterol readings mean when you get them, you need to know a bit more about the numbers, what they mean, and what is normal. Here is a look at these numbers so you have a better idea of where you stand when it comes to your cholesterol levels.

The first number that you will see is the total of both the LDL and the HDL. To be considered normal, your numbers should be 200 or less. Usually your LDL levels should be 130 or below as well. This is what you need to aim for to keep your body as healthy as possible.

If your total number happens to be between 200-230, then this is considered to be a borderline high reading. Usually at this level your LDL is somewhere between the 130-159 mark. When this occurs, it means that you need to do something quickly to avoid having high levels of cholesterol. You may need to change your diet, get more exercise, or take a good supplement to help get that back under control again.

If you have your levels checked and your total number is above 240, this is high and can be a real problem. There is no doubt that you have to take care of this right away. Your doctor may prescribe a medication, or you may choose a more natural method of lowering your cholesterol. Whatever the case, you cannot wait to get these levels down.

Now that you understand how cholesterol readings work and what is normal, borderline, and high, you may want to have your levels checked out. If your readings come out high then it is time to take action. High levels of cholesterol can be a dangerous problem that you need to conquer quickly so you can avoid deadly diseases like stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.