Cholesterol Ratio: Ideal Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is essential for the body as it helps in tissue, hormone and cell formation. It occurs naturally but is required only in a limited amount. Excess cholesterol is harmful for the body and hence, a person must try to keep his cholesterol levels in check and also maintain the ideal cholesterol ratio. Read more on cholesterol.

You must have heard your doctor mentioning the words 'good cholesterol' and 'bad cholesterol'. What are they? Good cholesterol is HDL cholesterol, i.e, High-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol. This cholesterol decreases the risk of heart diseases. On the other hand, bad cholesterol is the LDL cholesterol, i.e, Low-Density Lipoprotein. It increases the risk of heart diseases. One may have seen the different cholesterol ratios on the result sheet when one undergoes any test. What exactly is the cholesterol ratio? Let us find out.

Ideal Cholesterol Ratio

Total cholesterol, LDL and HDL, all the three factors play an important role in the human body and are taken into consideration when the ideal cholesterol ratio is determined.

Total Cholesterol/HDL: In order to find the ratio of total cholesterol and HDL, one needs to divide the total cholesterol with the HDL cholesterol. The desirable total cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter of blood) while the desirable HDL cholesterol should be more than 60 mg/dL. Cholesterol ratio ideal can be below or equal to 5:1. But, the ideal cholesterol ratio of total cholesterol and HDL should be 3.5:1.

HDL/LDL: What is the ideal cholesterol ratio of HDL/LDL? The ideal cholesterol levels of LDL is less than 100 mg/dL, while that of HDL is more than 60 mg/dL. Therefore, 0.4:1 is considered as the ideal cholesterol ratio for HDL/LDL.

LDL/HDL: This is an important reading included in the test as they are helpful for doctors to determine the chances of heart diseases in a person. The ideal cholesterol ratio of LDL/HDL is 2.5:1

Ideal Cholesterol Levels

The following are the safe or the ideal cholesterol levels.
Total Cholesterol = Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL = Less than 100 mg/dL
HDL = More than 60 mg/dL

The following are the average cholesterol levels.
Total cholesterol = Between 200-240 mg/dL
LDL = Between 100-160 mg/dL
HDL = Between 40-60 mg/dL

The following cholesterol levels indicate danger or high risk of heart diseases.
Total Cholesterol = 240 mg/dL and above
LDL = More than 160 mg/dL
HDL = Less than 40 mg/dL

These levels of cholesterol indicate if a person is at high risk of coronary heart diseases. When the doctor finds out this high level of cholesterol, he prescribes treatment based on the cause of the cholesterol level rise. It is possible to lower high cholesterol if checked in time.

Read more on:

• Causes of High Cholesterol
• Cholesterol Levels Explained

Maintaining Ideal Cholesterol Levels

One needs to keep the cholesterol ratio and levels in check as excess cholesterol is harmful for our body. Excess cholesterol does not get eliminated from our body. On the contrary, it gets stored in our arteries which results in blocking of the arteries. Blocking of the arteries can result in obstructed flow of blood and consequently it increases the risk of heart attack or stroke.

In order to maintain ideal cholesterol level, a person must have a balanced diet and avoid the foods high in cholesterol. Along with diet, exercise also plays an important role in lowering the cholesterol level of the body. One must avoid smoking, alcohol consumption as well as keep obesity in check in order to have normal cholesterol levels. Read more on tips on reducing cholesterol.

One must remember that maintaining an ideal cholesterol ratio and level is very important to have a healthy and long life!