LDL and HDL are both cholesterol, but they do the opposite. LDL carries cholesterol to your artery walls, HDL takes it away. That's why an LDL below 3.0 mmol/L is considered favourable and an HDL above 1.0 (men) or 1.3 (women). Here are the healthy values and why the ratio between them often says more than one number.
What is the difference between LDL and HDL?
LDL is the "bad" cholesterol. LDL particles can lodge in your artery wall and directly cause plaque (Ference et al., 2017). HDL does the reverse, carrying excess cholesterol back to your liver (Rosenson et al., 2012).
Healthy LDL and HDL values
- LDL: below 3.0, lower if your risk is higher
- HDL: men above 1.0, women above 1.3
- Non-HDL: below 3.8
- Total/HDL ratio: below 5
Your full profile is in our guide to cholesterol.
What is non-HDL cholesterol?
Non-HDL is your total cholesterol minus HDL. It sums up all your "bad" cholesterol, including triglyceride-rich particles, and you don't need to fast for it (Sniderman et al., 2019).
What does the cholesterol/HDL ratio mean?
The ratio divides total cholesterol by HDL. Lower is better: below 5 is acceptable, below 4 is good. Want the lesser-known markers? Read about ApoB, hs-CRP and homocysteine.
LDL and HDL are measured together in a lipid profile. Discuss your result with your GP. Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.
References
- Ference BA, et al. Low-density lipoproteins cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Eur Heart J. 2017. PMID: 28444290.
- Rosenson RS, et al. Cholesterol efflux and atheroprotection. Circulation. 2012. PMID: 22508840.
- Sniderman AD, et al. Apolipoprotein B particles and cardiovascular disease. JAMA Cardiol. 2019. PMID: 31642874.
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