Normal Blood Cholesterol Levels
The target total serum cholesterol level should be under 5mmol/liter.
Total serum cholesterol is the most common measurement of blood cholesterol. Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). The desirable, borderline and undesirable levels of total cholesterol, LDL and HDL are mentioned below:
| Compound | Desirable | Borderline | Undesirable |
| Total cholesterol | Below 200 | 200-240 | Above 240 |
| Total cholesterol | Above 45 | 35-45 | Below 35 |
| LDL cholesterol | Below 130 | 130-160 | Above 160 |
| Cholesterol/HDL | Below 4.5 | 4.5-5.5 | Above 5.5 |
| LDL/HDL | Below 3 | 3-5 | Above 5 |
The total blood cholesterol level in human blood can vary from 3.6mmol/liter to 7.8mmol/liter. The target cholesterol level should be under 5mmol/liter.
Any reading over 6mmol/liter is high and significantly raises the risk of arterial disease.
Desirable levels of LDL cholesterol are lower in people already suffering from heart disease.
