What is Total Cholesterol?

Total cholesterol measures the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood, including LDL ("bad"), HDL ("good"), and VLDL cholesterol. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs to build cells, make hormones, and produce vitamin D. However, too much cholesterol increases cardiovascular risk.

Why is it Important?

High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke — the leading causes of death worldwide. Because high cholesterol has no symptoms, blood tests are the only way to detect it. Tracking your levels over time helps assess your cardiovascular health.

Normal Ranges

Group	Range	Unit
Desirable	< 200	mg/dL
Borderline High	200 – 239	mg/dL
High	≥ 240	mg/dL
Desirable	< 5.2	mmol/L

What Do Abnormal Results Mean?

High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolemia)

Common causes include:

Diet high in saturated and trans fats
Obesity and sedentary lifestyle
Genetic factors (familial hypercholesterolemia)
Hypothyroidism
Diabetes and kidney disease
Certain medications (corticosteroids, some diuretics)

Low Cholesterol

Unusually low cholesterol (< 120 mg/dL) may indicate:

Liver disease or malnutrition
Hyperthyroidism
Malabsorption syndromes
Rare genetic conditions

When Should You Get Tested?

The American Heart Association recommends cholesterol screening every 4–6 years for adults over 20. More frequent testing is needed if you have risk factors such as family history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, or if you smoke.