For most adults, an LDL cholesterol under 100 mg/dL is considered optimal. 100 to 129 is near optimal, 130 to 159 is borderline high, and 160 or more is high. The healthy target is the same for women and men and doesn’t rise with age. Lower keeps being better for your heart.
Type or slide your LDL to see where it falls. The gauge starts at 130, the start of the borderline high band.
Where do you fall?
| Band | LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| OptimalThe usual goal for most adults. | Under 100 | The usual goal for most adults. |
| Near optimalSlightly above the goal. | 100 to 129 | Slightly above the goal. |
| Borderline highWorth a conversation about your overall heart risk. | 130 to 159 | Worth a conversation about your overall heart risk. |
| HighUsually worth treating, depending on your other risks. | 160 to 189 | Usually worth treating, depending on your other risks. |
| Very highGuidelines recommend medicine for most adults 20 to 75. | 190 or more | Guidelines recommend medicine for most adults 20 to 75. |
What does your LDL mean?
Your LDL is the amount of LDL cholesterol in your blood, measured in mg/dL. LDL is often called “bad” cholesterol because it can build up in the walls of your arteries over time. 2
The bands on the gauge are the same for all adults, at any age and for women and men. 1 What changes with age is how much the same number adds to your risk over a lifetime.
An LDL of 130 sits at the start of the borderline high band. That isn’t an emergency. It’s a good reason to look at your overall heart risk with your doctor, including blood pressure, blood sugar, smoking and family history. 2
In Checkup Score, cholesterol is scored on the least healthy of three numbers: LDL, non-HDL and ApoB, taken within about six months of each other. That way a good LDL can’t hide a high ApoB or a high non-HDL.
An LDL of 130 counts as 60 of 100 for cholesterol, 100 counts as 85, and 70 or lower counts as 100. The score is graded, not pass or fail, because risk keeps falling as LDL goes lower. HDL counts only through non-HDL, and triglycerides aren’t scored on their own.
If you take cholesterol medicine, the most this part of the score can reach is 80.
What moves your LDL?
Medicine moves LDL the most, and food choices come next. Here are the main levers, biggest effect first.
- Statins: a high-intensity statin lowers LDL by about 50% or more, and a moderate-intensity statin by about 30% to 49%. 2
- Other cholesterol medicines can lower LDL further when a statin isn’t enough or isn’t a fit. Your doctor can explain the options. 2
- Eating pattern: less saturated fat (fatty meat, butter, full-fat dairy) and more vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts and fish can lower LDL. 2
- Weight: losing extra weight can help your whole lipid panel, especially triglycerides and non-HDL. 2
- Activity: regular movement helps your heart in many ways, though its effect on LDL alone is modest. 2
- Your genes: some people have high LDL from birth. A very high LDL, or a parent or sibling with early heart disease, can point to an inherited cause. 2
How often should you check your LDL?
Most adults with normal results and low risk can recheck every 4 to 6 years. 2
If your LDL is borderline or high, or you have other risk factors, your doctor may check more often. After starting or changing a statin, guidelines suggest a recheck in 4 to 12 weeks, then every 3 to 12 months. 2
Lp(a) is different: it’s set mostly by your genes, so one test is usually enough for life. 4
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Lipid panel · LDL, HDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. List price $22.95 plus a $12.95 lab visit fee, as of October 31, 2026.
Order at Ulta Lab TestsDrawn at a lab near you. Often covered by insurance when your doctor orders it. Ask at your next visit.
Ulta Lab Tests doesn’t serve New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island. Options there: BioReference Direct (NY, NJ) or Everlywell.
Common questions
What is a normal LDL by age?
For adults, the healthy LDL target is the same at every age: under 100 mg/dL is optimal. The bands don’t shift for older adults. What changes is how your LDL fits with your other risks, such as blood pressure and blood sugar, which tend to rise with age. Children and teens use their own, lower cutoffs, so ask your child’s doctor.
Is an LDL of 130 good or bad?
An LDL of 130 mg/dL is at the start of the borderline high range, which runs from 130 to 159. It isn’t an emergency, but it’s above the optimal goal of under 100. It’s worth looking at your overall heart risk with your doctor. Food choices, weight and activity can help, and some people also need medicine.
Is a good LDL different for women and men?
No. The LDL bands are the same for women and men. HDL is the number with different cutoffs by sex. LDL often rises in the years around menopause, so it’s worth rechecking in your 40s and 50s even if earlier results were fine. An LDL under 100 mg/dL is the usual goal for most adults.
What is the normal range for LDL cholesterol?
Under 100 mg/dL is optimal, 100 to 129 is near optimal, 130 to 159 is borderline high, 160 to 189 is high, and 190 or more is very high. These bands are the same for all adults. People with heart disease or diabetes often have a lower goal, set with their doctor, because their risk is higher.
Do I need to fast before an LDL test?
Usually not. For most adults, a non-fasting lipid panel gives a useful LDL. Your doctor may ask you to fast if your triglycerides came back high, because triglycerides rise after a meal and can affect how LDL is calculated. If you’re unsure, ask the person ordering the test what they prefer.
Related
Sources
- Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel (Adult Treatment Panel III). NHLBI, 2002.
- 2018 AHA/ACC Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol. AHA/ACC, 2018.
- Life’s Essential 8: Updating and Enhancing the American Heart Association’s Construct of Cardiovascular Health. American Heart Association, 2022.
- A focused update to the 2019 NLA scientific statement on use of lipoprotein(a) in clinical practice. National Lipid Association, 2024.
This is information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace your clinician. In an emergency, call 911.