The cholesterol level in our body is a matter of concert for most people, as it increases the chances of having a heart attack. The human body needs it in order to function, but if there’s too much, it goes to the blood vessels where it could cause blockages.
There are two types of cholesterol: LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). The LDL level should be checked once in a while as it could cause heart disease. The level of cholesterol consists of the amount of substance that exists in the blood.
Recommended levels of cholesterol
For adults, the total cholesterol should be under 200 mg/dl. If it is higher than 240, the risk of heart disease increases. The borderline level is between 200 and 239 mg/dl. The HDL level should be 40 or higher. If it’s under 40, then it’s too low, considering that this is the good cholesterol. LDL cholesterol should be under 100 mg/dl, between 130 and 159 is borderline, and it is considered to be too high if it reaches 160 or more. Triglycerides also matter, as their count should be less than 149. If it reaches 200 or more, it is considered to be high.
When it comes to children, the recommended levels of cholesterol are a little different. The total cholesterol should be lower than 170, between 170 and 199 mg/dl is borderline, and it is considered high if it gets higher than 200. The HDL cholesterol should be higher than 45 but not lower than 40. What’s between 40 and 45 mg/dl is considered to be borderline. When it comes to LDL cholesterol, it should be less than 110 mg/dl, and it is too high if it reaches 130 mg/dl. The triglycerides count should be: under 75 for children younger than 9 years old, under 90 for those who are between 10 and 19 years old. The level is too high if it gets bigger than 100 mg/dl (for kids under 9 years of age), or higher than 130 (for kids between 10 and 19 years old).
