Learn What Those Total Cholesterol Numbers Are

Have you ever gotten a lab report handed to you and wondered just what all of those numbers meant? The doctor goes on and on trying to make you understand them. But, really what exactly are the total cholesterol numbers? Although it does seem to be completely out of your league, rest assured you can learn. It is important to comprehend those reports because they are about you and your body. We need to have at least a basic understanding of what is going on with our own health.

A million concerns and questions fly through our heads when we get those results. Let me break down into some very easy math terms how they come up with the apparently random number of 200. In just a few words, I hope to shed some light on that very question. What do those cholesterol numbers mean?

Often when we visit the doctor our only concern is that, the number is below 200. For many years, that was the gold standard in cholesterol testing. If the number was 200 or lower, great. If it was higher than 200, you have got some problems. The doctor may tell you to get more exercise, lose some weight and start taking this new prescription to lower your cholesterol.

Your total cholesterol is calculated by using the following formula:HDL (Good Cholesterol) + LDL (Bad Cholesterol) + VLDL = Your Total Cholesterol Number (TCL/TCN).

Total cholesterol is calculated using this formulas: HDL +LDL+VLDL=Total Cholesterol.

Now you may be asking what is this VLDL number that is in the formula. VLDL is the doctor's abbreviation for the Triglyceride level in your blood. A triglyceride is a fatty acid or fat cell that is in your blood stream. VLDL is the triglyceride level in the bloodstream divided by five. Therefore, you total cholesterol number is the Good Cholesterol number + the Bad Cholesterol Number + the triglyceride level/5.

As you can see, calculating your actual total cholesterol number is not complicated or anything like math used in rocket science or astrophysics. Again, if the total cholesterol number is under 200 then great; if it's over 200, better start following your doctor's advice.

In the US, cholesterol levels are expressed in mg/dL. The examples above are based on this measure. In the rest of the whole, cholesterol levels are expressed in mmol/l (millimoles per liter). To convert mg/dL to mmol/l simple divide by 39.