My understanding is that Total Cholesterol = HDL + LDL +.2(Triglycerides). So taking your total number and backing out HDL will not tell you what your LDL is.

The ratio is usually more important than the raw numbers (of course if your total cholesterol is 300, that's a different story) and under 200 is considered normal and healthy. There's an amazing range in cholesterol numbers among healthy people - one of my sisters, who runs and has a diet very similar to mine, has an LDL in the 40s, which I didn't know was even possible. My LDL is twice as high. But both of us have excellent ratios of total cholesterol to LDL and LDL to HDL. An HDL of 73 is excellent. If you got a total cholesterol workup, you should ask your doctor for a full copy of the results so that you can see the breakdown of HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, as well as ratios.

I am not sure how they come up with the total number but for LDL (bad cholesterol) you want that under 100. HDL (good cholesterol) for men should be above 45-but there is a point that you do not want to exceed and I apologize that I do not know what that number is. And triclycerides should be under 150. A normal number for total cholesterol should be under 200.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by henriness1:

I believe the guidelines have just been changed. You used to want HDL above 40, I believe it is now 45. I remember a few years ago, my HDL was at 35 and I thought I was ok, but the goal at that time had just been changed from 35 to 40. So when the doc said, your HDL is a little low, I said I thought the goal was 35-he said no, the goal had just been changed to 40. Now it's 45.
So many numbers-it can get confusing.<HR>

Oh dear.

I was tested last week. My HDL is only 41. My LDL is 67.

My VLDL cholesterol calc is 14 making a total cholesterol of 122.