Good Cholesterol Levels

The results on a cholesterol test can be more than a little confusing. Before one can figure out good cholesterol levels, it may help to understand the individual components that contribute to a given score. A certain amount of cholesterol is essential for the body to function normally - cholesterol forms an insulating cover around nerve fibers, is an essential component for the making of bile acids and steroid hormones, and also makes up the outer membrane of cells, among other functions. Since cholesterol is insoluble in blood, its transport through the circulatory system is carried out by lipoproteins, which direct the lipids they carry to different tissues through a complex mechanism of cell targeting signals. Although there are several types of lipoproteins, the ones that will show up in a cholesterol score will be low density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides. These are the three components that make up the total cholesterol score revealed in a blood test.

Good Cholesterol Levels for Men

It's a common misconception that all cholesterol is harmful. As discussed earlier, a certain amount of cholesterol is essential for the functioning of the body; it's when levels cross certain limits that the problems arise. More so, the main concern for coronary health is when levels of HDL cholesterol drop and levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol rise. High levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides are known to be associated with thickening of arterial walls, a condition called atherosclerosis, which is a precursor to a number of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. HDL cholesterol, also known as 'good' cholesterol, has the ability to scour the walls of arteries that have thickened with cholesterol deposits, which is why ideal cholesterol levels are associated with low levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and conversely higher levels of HDL cholesterol. High triglyceride levels are also thought to inhibit the levels of HDL cholesterol, along with their other adverse effects. Since men are more prone to heart disease, the following chart exhibits what is considered good cholesterol levels for men.

Total Cholesterol Level (mg/dl)	HDL Cholesterol (mg/dl)	LDL Cholesterol(mg/dl)	Triglycerides (mg/dl)	Interpretation
200	60 and above	Less than 100	Less than 150	Normal; optimal
200 - 239	50 - 59	130-159	150 - 499	High
240 and above	Below 50(women); below 40 (men)	190 and above	Above 499	Very high; high risk

Good Cholesterol Levels Ratio

There may be a tendency to take the overall cholesterol count as the measure against which heart disease risk is calculated, however, it's more important to understand the ratios of good to bad cholesterol. For instance, an overall score which tends towards the high side, which has low levels of LDL and triglycerides and high levels of HDL, is a better score than one which is lower overall, but in which bad cholesterol levels are inflated. To understand this better, there exists what is known as a cholesterol ratio. To reach this figure, simply divide total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by the HDL number.

• The ratio of total cholesterol to HDL, should be below 4, as a normal range, where anything below 3.5 is good, and ideal is anything below 2.6.
• The ratio of LDL to HDL should ideally be between 2.3 and 4.9, with anything above 7.2 a serious risk.

Understanding the concept behind a cholesterol ratio is an important factor in reaching what goes into maintaining good cholesterol levels. Low levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol significantly reduce a number of risks that are associated with coronary heart disease. In fact, it has been proven that bringing your cholesterol levels to within a normal range can actually reverse the signs of heart disease. Following a low cholesterol diet along with regular exercise will not only you keep yourself within good cholesterol levels, but also raise fitness levels overall.