HDL cholesterol

Women: 1.2 and above mmol/L · Men: 1.0 and above mmol/L

UK laboratories usually print a lower limit only, commonly above 1.0 mmol/L for men and above 1.2 mmol/L for women; there is no upper limit in routine use.

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, one of the particles that carries cholesterol in the blood. HDL collects cholesterol from the tissues and takes it back to the liver, which is why it is often called the 'good' cholesterol. The test measures how much cholesterol is being carried in HDL particles.

It is part of the standard lipid profile that doctors use when looking at heart and circulation health. It is also needed to work out the non-HDL cholesterol and the cholesterol to HDL ratio printed on the same report.

• Regular exercise
• Moderate alcohol intake
• Being female, in the general population
• Oestrogen, including some hormone treatments
• Some inherited patterns of lipid handling

• Smoking
• Being overweight and taking little exercise
• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
• High triglycerides
• Some medicines, including anabolic steroids and some beta blockers
• Some inherited patterns of lipid handling

• A recent illness lowers it for a few weeks
• Heavy exercise in the days before can nudge it up
• Different laboratory methods give slightly different figures

No fasting needed. Read alongside total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides; the trend over time is more useful than a single value.

Written by a UK consultant physician. Typical UK adult reference ranges; your laboratory's own printed range takes precedence.