The Basics
Talk to your doctor about when and how often you should have your cholesterol (ko-less-ter-ol) checked. Most men should have their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. Women at risk for heart disease should also get their cholesterol checked every 5 years.
If you have a family history of heart disease or other risk factors for heart disease (like smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, or obesity), you may need to get checked more often.
Too much cholesterol in your blood can cause heart disease or a heart attack. The good news is that cholesterol can be easily checked. And if your cholesterol is high, there are things you can do to control it.
How do I Check my Cholesterol?
Ask your doctor for a blood test called a lipoprotein (lip-oh-pro-teen) profile to measure your cholesterol levels. A small sample of blood is taken from your finger or arm. Usually you can’t eat or drink anything (except water and black coffee) for 9–12 hours before the test.
What do the Numbers Mean?
Your lipoprotein profile will tell you about:
- Total cholesterol – A desirable total cholesterol is a number under 200.
- LDL cholesterol – This is the bad type of cholesterol that can block your arteries. Most people should try to keep their LDL cholesterol under 130. If you have heart disease or diabetes, keep your LDL cholesterol under 100.
- HDL cholesterol – This is the good type of cholesterol that lowers your risk for heart disease. And HDL cholesterol below 40 is a major risk factor for heart disease. An HDL cholesterol above 60 helps protect against heart disease.
- Triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood) – Keep this number under 150.
To learn more, see how your cholesterol numbers compare to these cholesterol tables.
What Affects Cholesterol Levels?
Your body makes all of the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is also found in some of the foods you eat. Many things affect the level of cholesterol in your body:
- Family history – high cholesterol can run in families.
- Age – as you get older, your cholesterol levels go up.
- Weight – losing extra weight can help lower your cholesterol levels.
- Diet – eating too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol raises the level of cholesterol in your blood.
- Physical activity – getting active can help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol.
There are no signs or symptoms of high cholesterol. That is why it’s so important to get your cholesterol levels checked. Take this cholesterol quiz
to test your knowledge.
The Benefits
Lowering your cholesterol can reduce your risk of heart disease – and can help you live a longer, healthier life. The higher your cholesterol level, the greater your risk. That’s why it is so important to find out your cholesterol levels as early as possible.
You can lower your cholesterol by:
- eating foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol
- getting active
- controlling your weight
You may also need a special diet or medication – talk to your doctor.
To learn more, check out this guide to lowering your cholesterol [PDF - 1.73 MB].
Take Action!
Find out your cholesterol levels as early as possible.
Make an Appointment to get Your Cholesterol Checked
Call your doctor’s office or health center. Schedule a time to get a blood test. Be sure to ask for a complete lipoprotein profile. Remember, you can’t eat or drink anything (except water and black coffee) for 9–12 hours before the test.
Print out this list of questions [PDF - 8.5 KB]
to ask your doctor about cholesterol.
What About Cost?
Most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, will cover the cost of a cholesterol test. Check with your insurance provider to learn what is included in your plan. You can still get your cholesterol checked even if you don't have insurance. Find a health center near you to learn more.
Keep Track of Your Cholesterol
Remember to ask your doctor for your cholesterol levels each time they are measured. Write the levels down [PDF - 50.8 KB]
on this cholesterol tracker to keep track of your progress.
Eat Healthy
Changing your diet can lower your cholesterol.
- Eat less saturated fat, which is found in animal products like butter, cream, and fatty meats, and in tropical oils such as palm, palm kernel, and coconut oil.
- Eat more foods that are high in fiber, like oatmeal, oat bran, beans, or lentils.
- Choose fruits and vegetables instead of foods higher in saturated fat.
Get Active
Exercising regularly can help you lose weight and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.