We get disease if cholesterol is too high or too low. But in the broad range of cholesterol levels from 180 to 240 there is no correlation with heart disease. Below 180 there is increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, depression, and suicide. Above 240 there is increased risk of cardiovascular disease and ischemic stroke. Over age 70, elevated cholesterol and cardiovascular events no longer correlate. All told, total serum cholesterol alone is a poor indicator of cardiovascular disease. Half of all heart attack patients have normal total cholesterol levels.
"Normal" levels
Total Cholesterol (mg/dL)
Normal range = It changes with age but quite accurate:
= Upper level is 230 + age, Max 300
= Lower level is 115 + age
Recommended cholesterol level is a moving target. Recently cardiologists are recommending everyones level should be below 200 at all ages.
HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)
Normal range = Males 30-70, Females 35-80
LDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)
Normal range
= 60-150 below age 20
= 70-180 age 30-50
= 80-210 above age 50
Triglycerides (mg/dL)
Normal range = It changes with age but quite accurate:
= Males upper level is 130 + age, Max 200
= Females lowerlevel is 80 + age, Max 165
= Males/Females lower level is your age
C-Reactive Protein(CRP)
Normal range = Below 10 mg/L (1 mg/dL)
Homocysteine
Normal range = Below 17 micromoles/L
Lipoprotein a (Lp a)
Normal range = Below 25 mg/dL
Ferritin
Normal range = Males 20-300, Females 15-120 ng/ml
Iron overload = Above 400 ng/ml
Fibrinogen
Normal range = Males 180-340, Females 190-420 mg/dL
Blood glucose(8hr fast)
Normal = <120 mg/dL Borderline DM = 120-140 mg/dL
Diabetic = Above 140 mg/dL (W.H.O. definition)
Insulin (8 hr fasting)
Normal = Below 20 microUnits/ml
Borderline DM = 21-25 microUnits/ml
Diabetic = Above 25 microUnits/ml
Hemoglobin A1C
Normal range = Below 7.5% of total hemoglobin
The following serum levels are the most IDEAL (ie. beneficial) levels for cardiovascular (CV) health. Having any ONE of these outside the ideal range can cause or indicate CV disease! These ideal or healthy levels are much tighter than the often quoted "normal" levels referred to by your doctor. Remember "normal" does NOT necessarily mean "healthy". We want healthy, not just normal:
"Ideal" levels
Total Cholesterol*
Ideal Range = 180 to 200 mg/dL if less than age 70
Ideal Range = Up to 300 if older than age 70
HDL Cholesterol
Ideal level = Above 50 mg/dL
LDL Cholesterol
Ideal level = Below 100 mg/dL
HDL % or Ratios
Ideal levels = See table below
Triglycerides(TG)
Ideal level = Below 100 mg/dL
C-Reactive Protein(CRP)
Ideal level = Below 1 mg/L (0.1 mg/dL)
Homocysteine
Ideal level = Below 8.0 micromoles/L
Lipoprotein(a)ieLp(a)**
Ideal level = Below 10 mg/dL
Ferritin
Ideal range = 20-50 ng/ml (Above 80 is trouble)
Fibrinogen
Ideal range = 150-300 mg/dL
Blood glucose(8hr fast)
Ideal range = 60-85 mg/dL
Pre-diabetic = 95-110 mg/dL
Diabetic = Above 110 mg/dL
Hypoglycemic = Below 60 mg/dL
Critical levels = Below 40 or Above 450 mg/dL
Insulin (8 hr fasting)
Good level = Below 5 microUnits/ml
Best level = 2-3 microUnits/ml
High risk Diabetes= Above 10 microUnits/ml
Hemoglobin A1C***
Ideal range = Below 6% of total hemoglobin
* Cholesterol: It is not advisable to have total cholesterol below 150 at any age due to increased risk for internal hemorrhage, depression, and suicide.