Cholesterol | 5 min read
Cholesterol Normal Range: Top Things You Must Know
Medically reviewed by
- Table of Content
Key Takeaways
- Maintain cholesterol normal range at 125 to 200mg/dL to avoid health worries
- Take a cholesterol test or do a lipid profile every 6 months to stay on guard
- Adapt to a healthy lifestyle and stay active to maintain normal cholesterol levels
Not all cholesterol is bad, but keeping an eye on the normal cholesterol range is important. As per a recent study, 39% of people who had high cholesterol in India in 2019 also suffered from heart ailments [1]. This cardiac risk understandably decreased for people who had normal cholesterol levels.
Even if you are on the borderline, once cholesterol levels cross the line, things can quickly go from bad to worse. So, it is important to know all about the normal cholesterol range and maintain it consistently.
In simple medical terms, cholesterol aids with healthy cell formation, and our body needs this waxy substance for its natural cell division process and to create cell membranes [2]. However, nothing in excess is good, so the requirement has to be within the normal cholesterol levels for the body to stay away from harm’s way.
What is the normal cholesterol range?
Normal cholesterol levels for adults vary across age and gender, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. However, in general, the total cholesterol normal range for a healthy adult male or female should be 125 to 200mg/dL.
This can be further broken down to the varied types of cholesterol found in the bloodstream to see if the LDL or bad cholesterol levels are high or not. If they are high, your physician is likely to set you on a diet and put you on medication to bring down your levels of cholesterol to the normal range.
What does a cholesterol profile for an adult contain?
If you are an adult above 20 years of age, you should undergo regular blood tests to better know your cholesterol profile. A cholesterol test or lipid profile helps you or your doctor check if your results lie in the normal cholesterol range.
Cholesterol found in the human body is of two kinds, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Generally, HDL is regarded as good cholesterol as it helps keep LDL in check and is known to transport excess cholesterol from the bloodstream to the liver. In case your results don’t match the normal cholesterol levels for adults, then a blood test will show a high count of LDL as compared to HDL. This is bound to hike up your results for the total cholesterol range too.
What could make your results cross the total cholesterol normal range?
When your blood test shows results that cross the normal cholesterol range, you should get to the root cause of the same. A variety of reasons can push your results to go over the normal cholesterol range. A primary cause is a mismanaged diet, which consists of food that increases the LDL count in your body.
When planning your daily meals, you should know which foods contain saturated fats and keep your intake within control. Processed food, dairy, and deep-fried items tend to contain a high level of saturated fat. This can disrupt your cholesterol levels, causing them to go beyond the total cholesterol normal range.
Along with diet, a sedentary lifestyle and lack of movement leading to weight gain is another factor that increases your risk of accumulating bad cholesterol. Smoking, to a great extent, is also responsible for causing your levels to pass over the normal cholesterol range.
How to maintain your levels within the normal cholesterol range?
Staying active and eating healthy is the most basic yet most effective way of maintaining your cholesterol range within normal parameters. Here are some other things you can keep in mind.
- Be conscious about your bodily changes with age, as hormonal changes can sometimes cause your levels to cross the total cholesterol normal levels.
- If cholesterol risks run in the family, stay on guard and regularly consult your physician to maintain your levels within the normal cholesterol range.
- Adapt to a healthy, active lifestyle and include different poses of yoga for cholesterol control or other exercises to maintain healthy body weight.
- Irrespective of your age or gender, try to keep your stress level in check and stay calm and at peace from within. This will help you maintain your levels within the normal cholesterol range.
While you can take steps like being physically active or eating healthy to reduce cholesterol levels, get a health check-up done periodically to be sure of your levels. Book a lab test on Bajaj Finserv Health in seconds to ensure your results fall within the normal cholesterol range. You can also get discounts on your Lipid Profile and other health test packages here.
If you see that your levels cross the total cholesterol range, consult a doctor at once. You can book an online doctor consultation with doctors and cardiologists with ease on Bajaj Finserv Health too. This is the best way to keep your overall health under check, as high cholesterol leads to a variety of health problems. Moreover, a quick consultation will help you understand important cholesterol facts and adopt preventive measures in a timely manner.
- References
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1123534/india-correlation-of-cholesterol-and-heart-issues/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S000629522100229X
- Disclaimer
Please note that this article is solely meant for informational purposes and Bajaj Finserv Health Limited (“BFHL”) does not shoulder any responsibility of the views/advice/information expressed/given by the writer/reviewer/originator. This article should not be considered as a substitute for any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your trusted physician/qualified healthcare professional to evaluate your medical condition. The above article has been reviewed by a qualified doctor and BFHL is not responsible for any damages for any information or services provided by any third party.