An Age-by-Age Guide to Cholesterol Levels, Good and the Bad: What’s Normal and What’s Too High

Regulating cholesterol levels is crucial for heart health. There are two types of cholesterol (we’ll explain the difference between “good” and “bad” shortly), and if you have too much of the kind that increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, the good news is that it’s generally treatable. In order to implement the proper lifestyle modifications, though, it’s imperative to understand your readings. Here, we share a healthy cholesterol levels by age chart and expert insights on how to make sense of your numbers. 

What is cholesterol? 

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all the cells of your body and is vital for many bodily functions, explains Grant Simons, MD, Chief Heart Rhythm Services at Hackensack University Medical Center. 

“For example, cholesterol is a crucial structural component of cell membranes, helping them maintain their shape and flexibility,” he says. “Your body also uses cholesterol to make hormones like estrogen, testosterone and cortisol. Cholesterol is essential for your body to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, and it helps the liver produce bile acids, which are necessary for digesting fats.” 

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The liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs, adds Dr. Simons, but having too much cholesterol in your blood can be harmful. Why? It can lead to narrowing and blockages in your arteries. 

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The 3 different types of cholesterol 

There are different types of cholesterol carried in your blood, and they have different health implications: 

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: Often called “bad” cholesterol, high levels of LDL can form plaque that narrows and eventually blocks the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke, says Dr. Simons.
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: Often called “good” cholesterol, HDL reduces the risk of heart disease. This is because it collects excessive cholesterol in the blood to take it back to the liver where it can be broken down and excreted, explains Austin Shuxiao, MD, physician at UHS Wilson Hospital. 
• Triglycerides: This is another type of fat (lipid) in your blood, and high levels of triglycerides can also increase your risk of heart disease, explains Dr. Simons. 

How cholesterol is measured 

To check your cholesterol levels, you’ll first need a blood test. In the lab, cholesterol is tested based on how much is circulating in your blood, explains Dr. Simons. The results are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). 

“On a typical lipid panel, the types of cholesterol and lipids tested are total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides and non-HDL cholesterol,” says Dr. Shuxiao. 

Total cholesterol

Total cholesterol measures of all the cholesterol in your body, including LDL, triglycerides and VLDL, he explains. It gives a broad overview and is used in heart disease calculation, but is really only useful in conjunction with other data. “A very high total cholesterol probably means your LDL is high,” notes Dr. Shuxiao. 

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

LDL is a combination of triglycerides and cholesterol, and high levels lead to excessive deposition of cholesterol into the arteries, increasing risk of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. “The rule of thumb is the lower the number, the better,” says Dr. Shuxiao.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL)

HDL essentially acts against LDL and will protect against atherosclerosis, making it protective against heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease, explains Dr. Shuxiao. So, in this case, higher numbers are the target. 

Non-HDL cholesterol

This is total cholesterol minus HDL, and is essentially a snapshot of all the “bad cholesterol” in the body.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are fats used to store and transport energy. High levels of triglycerides are linked to metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, explains Dr. Shuxiao. (Find the best foods to reduce triglycerides here). 

“Very high levels are heavily linked to recurrent bouts of acute pancreatitis,” he says. “Certain metabolic and genetic disorders may lead to very high levels of triglycerides.”

Cholesterol levels by age charts

With a deeper knowledge of what all of these numbers signal about your heart health, let’s take a look at general guidelines for normal cholesterol levels for adults. Here are some of the highlights from the Cleveland Clinic’s cholesterol levels by age charts. An important note: While these are considered good cholesterol numbers for most people, your LDL target may be different if you have heart disease or multiple risk factors. It’s important to talk with your doctor about your individual needs. 

Healthy cholesterol levels by age

For women 20 years and older, these readings are considered healthy.

Total cholesterol: between 125 to 200 mg/dL
Triglycerides: below 150 mg/dL
LDL: below 100 mg/dL for people at low risk of heart disease, below 70 mg/dL for those at higher risk and below 55 mg/dL for those at very high risk (according to new 2026 guidelines)
HDL: 50 mg/dL or higher

These ranges are consistent among men as well, except their ideal HDL is 40 or higher. 

High cholesterol levels by age

High cholesterol by age is the same for men and women 20 years and up. 

Borderline high total cholesterol: 200 to 239 mg/dL
High total cholesterol: 240 mg/dL or higher.
High non-HDL cholesterol: 130 mg/dL or higher
Near-optimal LDL: 100 to 129 mg/dL
Borderline-high LDL: 130 to 159 mg/dL
High LDL: 160 to 189 mg/dL
Very high LDL: 190 mg/dL or higher

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“While there isn’t a single cholesterol level that universally warrants immediate emergency medical attention, there are certainly levels that require prompt medical consultation and potentially aggressive intervention,” says Dr. Simons. “It’s less about a single number and more about the overall lipid profile (including LDL levels, HDL and triglycerides) combined with individual risk factors.”

Generally, an LDL cholesterol level above 190 mg/dL is considered very high and requires prompt medical attention, especially if it’s accompanied by other risk factors like family history of heart disease, diabetes or smoking, he explains. This level significantly increases the risk of plaque buildup and blockages in the arteries. 

Conversely, severely low HDL cholesterol should be addressed with a doctor. Because it helps remove LDL from the arteries, low levels offer less protection. And high triglycerides above 500 mg/dL can cause serious inflammation of the pancreas, which requires medical attention. 

“It’s important to remember that cholesterol levels are just one piece of the puzzle. Your doctor will consider your overall risk profile, including age, family history, blood pressure and other factors to determine the best course of action,” says Dr. Simons.