Total Cholesterol (CHOL)

What is Total Cholesterol?

Total cholesterol measures the combined amount of all cholesterol in your blood, including LDL (“bad”), HDL (“good”), and VLDL cholesterol. While not as specific as individual components, it serves as an initial screening tool for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Why is it Tested?

Doctors order total cholesterol as part of routine cardiovascular screening and to monitor response to cholesterol-lowering treatments. It’s often the first lipid test ordered and helps determine if more detailed lipid analysis is needed.

Normal Ranges

Reference ranges based on cardiovascular risk guidelines:

Desirable: <200 mg/dL
Borderline high: 200–239 mg/dL
High: ≥240 mg/dL

These ranges serve as initial screening thresholds, but individual risk assessment considers other factors beyond total cholesterol alone.

Reference ranges vary by authority. Track yours across multiple standards with automatic unit conversions in LabsVault.

What do Abnormal Results Mean?

Abnormal results are not a diagnosis. Always discuss your results with a qualified healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.

Low Total Cholesterol

Unusually low levels may indicate:

Malnutrition or malabsorption
Liver disease
Hyperthyroidism
Some medications

High Total Cholesterol

Elevated levels suggest:

Increased cardiovascular disease risk
Familial hypercholesterolemia
Diet high in saturated fats
Metabolic syndrome
Hypothyroidism

How to Track Over Time

Tracking total cholesterol trends helps monitor cardiovascular risk and treatment effectiveness. However, changes in individual components (LDL, HDL) provide more actionable information than total cholesterol changes alone, making comprehensive lipid panels more valuable for ongoing management.

Total Cholesterol