HDL cholesterol: rango normal, alto y bajo

En resumen60 mg/dL (1.55 mmol/L) or more is best. Below 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) is considered low for men, and below 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) for women.

Valores de referencia

Grupo	Valor de referencia
Best	60 mg/dL (1.55 mmol/L) or more
Hombres age 20 or older	More than 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L); below 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) is considered low
Mujeres age 20 or older	More than 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L); below 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) is considered low
Age 19 or younger	More than 45 mg/dL (1.17 mmol/L)

Ranges vary slightly among laboratories. For HDL, higher numbers are better — this is the one lipid value that should not fall below its threshold.

Compruebe su valor

Enter the number from your lab report — see how it compares with the typical range. Mind the units shown in the chosen row.

A rough comparison with a typical range, not a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary between laboratories — check the range on your own report and let a clinician interpret the result.

Qué es este marcador

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. Like LDL, it is a combination of fat and protein that moves cholesterol through the blood — but in the opposite direction. HDL carries cholesterol from other parts of the body back to the liver, and the liver then removes the cholesterol from the body. That is why HDL earned the name “good” cholesterol.

With HDL, higher numbers are better: a high HDL level can lower the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. It is the one lipid number providers like to see rise. How high it should be depends on age and sex, with women needing a higher level than men.

HDL is measured within the lipid profile, together with total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides. Read together, the fractions describe cardiovascular risk far better than any single number: a person with a normal total cholesterol but a low HDL is read differently from one whose HDL is high.

The preparation follows the lipid panel: no food for 9 to 12 hours before the draw. If HDL is too low, lifestyle changes can raise it — a healthy diet with good fats instead of saturated fats being the first lever.

Cuando está elevado

Higher is generally betterA high HDL level is protective: it means more cholesterol is being carried back to the liver for removal, which lowers the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke.

Cuando está bajo

A risk factor, not a diseaseA low HDL does not cause symptoms by itself; it removes one of the body's protections against cholesterol buildup in the arteries.

Sex-specific thresholdsBelow 40 mg/dL (1.04 mmol/L) is low for men, and below 50 mg/dL (1.29 mmol/L) is low for women — women need the higher level.

What pushes it downSaturated fats in the diet — full-fat milk and cheese, high-fat meats, butter-based foods — work against HDL; replacing them with good fats is the standard lifestyle advice.

Qué puede alterar el resultado

Estos factores pueden alterar el valor sin ninguna enfermedad — vale la pena considerarlos antes de repetir la prueba:

Diet (saturated fats lower it, good fats raise it)Food within 9–12 hours before the testCiertos medicamentos

Cómo prepararse

HDL is measured within the lipid profile: no food for 9 to 12 hours before the draw. Tell your provider about the medicines and supplements you take.

Cuándo tiene sentido repetir la prueba

HDL is rechecked with the rest of the lipid profile on the schedule set by age and risk factors. When the level is low, lifestyle changes are the first step, and the follow-up test shows whether they worked.

Quién suele revisar este resultado

Un resultado fuera del rango de referencia suele ser revisado por:your GP or primary care doctor; a cardiologist if cardiovascular risk is the concern. Traiga su informe de laboratorio y cualquier resultado anterior a la cita.

Nombres usados en los informes de laboratorio

Su informe puede usar cualquiera de estos nombres:
HDLColesterol HDLHigh-density lipoproteinGood cholesterol

Unidades y conversión

Medido en:mg/dL

mg/dL = mmol/L

mg/dL × 0.0259 = mmol/L. Example: 60 mg/dL = 1.55 mmol/L. Results are rounded to 2 decimal places.

¿Varios marcadores en su informe?

See how MedProtect explains results in the app: the whole report, a check of the recognized values, and a clear breakdown.

Obtenga una explicación de sus resultados Ver un ejemplo

Preguntas frecuentes

Why is HDL called “good” cholesterol?

Because of its route: HDL picks up cholesterol from around the body and delivers it back to the liver, which removes it. More HDL means more cholesterol being cleared instead of deposited in artery walls.

Can lifestyle really raise HDL?

Yes. Diet is the first lever — replacing saturated fats (full-fat dairy, high-fat meats, butter-based foods) with good fats. Lifestyle changes that raise HDL also help prevent other diseases.

My total cholesterol is normal — why does HDL matter?

The total sums all fractions. A normal total can hide a low HDL, and low HDL means a missing layer of cardiovascular protection. That is why providers read the whole lipid profile rather than the total alone.

Fuentes

Cholesterol Levels: MedlinePlus Medical Test— MedlinePlus, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina. Consultado: 29 de agosto de 2026.
HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol: MedlinePlus— MedlinePlus, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina. Consultado: 29 de agosto de 2026.
Lipid profile test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia— MedlinePlus, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina. Consultado: 29 de agosto de 2026.

Colesterol HDL