Home › Biomarkers › Non-HDL cholesterol
According to the Hartstichting, a normal non-HDL cholesterol for everyone is lower than 3.8 mmol/l. For people with a higher risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels, the target level is lower.[1]
On this page you can read what non-HDL cholesterol is, what the guidelines say about a level that is too low or too high, what affects your level and which levels are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: non-HDL, non-HDL cholesterol. At the lab: n/a.
Non-HDL cholesterol is the sum of several bad cholesterol particles in your blood. Besides LDL cholesterol, these include VLDL, IDL, remnants and Lp(a). Together they are called non-HDL.[1]
The value is your total cholesterol minus your HDL cholesterol. HDL helps clear cholesterol from the blood. It is sometimes called the good cholesterol, which is why it is not counted.[1]
The Hartstichting notes that the non-HDL value is 0.8 mmol/l higher than the LDL cholesterol value.[1]
LDL is not the only thing that contributes to a condition of the arteries. Other cholesterol particles do too. Non-HDL counts them all together.[1]
A doctor can use your non-HDL cholesterol to estimate your chance of a condition of the heart and blood vessels. The doctor does this together with, for example, your age, sex, blood pressure and whether you smoke.[1]
Sometimes the doctor uses the non-HDL value instead of the LDL value. This can happen when following how high cholesterol develops during care.[1]
| Non-HDL cholesterol in mmol/l | What it indicates | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Lower than 3.8[1] | A normal level | Everyone |
| Lower than 3.4[1] | The target level for this group | People with a higher risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels |
| Lower than 3.4[1] | The target level for this group | People over 70 with a condition of the heart or blood vessels |
| Below 2.6[1] | The target level for this group | People up to 70 with a condition of the heart or blood vessels |
Source: Hartstichting, target levels for non-HDL cholesterol in adults, partly based on the NHG guideline on cardiovascular risk management.[1]
Is your level not below the target level for your group? That can point to more cholesterol particles that contribute to a condition of the arteries. High cholesterol increases the chance of a condition of the heart and blood vessels. Sometimes an inherited condition is behind it. A doctor looks at the level together with your age, sex, blood pressure and whether you smoke.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Your cholesterol often rises as you get older. That is why older people usually have higher cholesterol than young people. When young people have high cholesterol, it is usually an inherited form.[1]
In women, cholesterol levels vary more because of changes in hormones. Cholesterol rises, for example, during ovulation, when you are pregnant and around the menopause. Around the age of 50, cholesterol actually rises more in women.[1]
Sometimes your liver makes too much cholesterol, or too little cholesterol is removed from your blood. An inherited condition can also raise your cholesterol.[1]
According to the Hartstichting, you can lower your cholesterol yourself by living a healthy life. Eating healthily often already helps to lower your triglyceride level.[1]
Non-HDL cholesterol is included in BioProfile 77, 98, 121 and 150.[2]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 9 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 9 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to review this page; after that review, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal value with your GP.
