You might already know that some biomarkers, like blood pressure, naturally shift as you age. 

You may even be aware that older people tend to need to get up more often at night to pee ― that too has “normal” ranges that change over time. 

Getting up in the middle of the night for any reason, pee or not, can be dictated by age, too. 

So perhaps it’s not all that shocking to learn that “healthy” cholesterol readings aren’t the same for an 11-year-old and a 90-year-old. 

According to health information site Medical News Today, gender matters too ―  men tend to have higher cholesterol on average, until menopause, when women’s levels can rise significantly. 

What’s healthy by age group?

The National Library of Health shared healthy levels by age in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

They address

  • total cholesterol – the overall amount of cholesterol in your blood
  • good cholesterol (called HDL) – this may make you less likely to have heart problems or a stroke
  • non-HDL cholesterol – the difference between total cholesterol and HDL

These are:

Anyone 19 or younger

  • Total cholesterol: Less than 170 mg/dl
  • Non-HDL: Less than 120 mg/dl
  • LDL: Less than 100 mg/dl
  • HDL: More than 45 mg/dl

Males aged 20 or over

  • Total cholesterol: 125–200 mg/dl
  • Non-HDL: Less than 130 mg/dl
  • LDL: Less than 100 mg/dl
  • HDL: 40 mg/dl or higher

Females aged 20 or over

  • Total cholesterol: 125–200 mg/dl
  • Non-HDL: Less than 130 mg/dl
  • LDL: Less than 100 mg/dl
  • HDL: 50 mg/dl or higher.

When should I check my cholesterol?

The NHS advises checking your cholesterol levels if you have not had a test before and you’re over 40, overweight, or if your family has high cholesterol or heart problems. 

You’ll be given a blood test and will be able to view your results online. 

If anything needs to be addressed, a doctor or nurse will talk to you about ways to lower your cholesterol.

The NHS stresses all adults with no health issues should aim for less than 5mmol/L (mmol/l stands for millimoles per litre) total cholesterol, above 1.0mmol/L of HDL cholesterol for men or above 1.2mmol/L for women, and less than 0.4mmol/L of non-HDL cholesterol.

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