Cholesterol Goal

There’s no such thing as a “normal” cholesterol level, but we do have targets to aim for.

HDL (“good cholesterol”): The higher your HDL is, the more protection you get against atherosclerosis. I tell everyone to try to get their HDL up to at least 40. Low HDL values, below 35-40 mg/dl, are considered dangerous, while numbers above 60-65 mg/dl actually reduce your risk.

There is a little disagreement on the specific thresholds. Men are generally told to strive for higher levels than women, because men have greater risk of atherosclerosis than women the same age. The best way to increase your HDL is with exercise. Diet and current medications don’t have very much effect.

Triglycerides: High triglyceride levels not only increase the risk of atherosclerosis, they can also cause liver disease and pancreatitis. Most experts agree that everyone should try to keep their triglycerides below 150 mg/dl.