Home › Biomarkers › LDL cholesterol
According to the Hartstichting, a normal LDL cholesterol level is below 3 mmol/l for everyone. If your level is 3 or higher, you have an increased risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels.[1]
On this page, you can read what LDL cholesterol is, what the guidelines say about a level that is too low or too high, what affects your level and which other values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: LDL, the bad cholesterol. At the lab: LDL.
LDL cholesterol is part of the cholesterol in your blood. The LDL particles can build up in the blood vessels. That is why LDL is called the bad cholesterol.[1]
Total cholesterol is all the cholesterol in your blood added together. It includes the bad particles, such as LDL, but also HDL. HDL actually helps clear cholesterol from the blood.[1]
Sometimes your liver makes too much cholesterol. Or too little cholesterol is removed from your blood.[1]
With a high LDL cholesterol, you are more likely to develop narrowing in your arteries. That is because the LDL particles build up in the blood vessels.[1]
A high cholesterol increases your chance of a condition of the heart and blood vessels. According to the Hartstichting, this applies equally to men and women.[1]
A doctor does not look at cholesterol alone. The doctor can estimate your risk together with things like your age, sex, blood pressure and whether you smoke.[1]
The laboratory BioProfile works with, Labplusarts, uses a reference value of 0.0 to 4.5 mmol/l for LDL cholesterol. The lab calls a value between these limits normal.[2]
| LDL cholesterol (mmol/l) | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Below 3[1] | Target value | Everyone |
| Below 2.6[1] | Target value | People with a higher risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels |
| Below 2.6[1] | Target value | People over 70 with a condition of the heart or blood vessels |
| Below 1.8[1] | Target value | People up to 70 with a condition of the heart or blood vessels |
| 3 or higher[1] | Can point to an increased risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels | Everyone |
Source: Hartstichting, target values for LDL cholesterol in adults, based on the NHG guideline and the European guideline.[1]
According to the Hartstichting, an LDL cholesterol of 3 or higher can point to an increased risk of a condition of the heart and blood vessels. With a high LDL, you are more likely to develop narrowing in your arteries. The Hartstichting says: the lower your LDL cholesterol, the better.[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.
Cholesterol often rises as you get older. Up to the age of 19, LDL cholesterol is higher in girls and women. After 19, it is higher in men.[1]
In women, cholesterol levels vary more because of changes in hormones. Cholesterol rises, for example, during ovulation, when you are pregnant and during the menopause. Around the age of 50, cholesterol actually rises more in women.[1]
Sometimes cholesterol is raised because of a hereditary condition. When young people have high cholesterol, it is usually a hereditary form that runs in the family.[1]
According to the Hartstichting, you can lower your cholesterol yourself by living healthily.[1]
LDL cholesterol is included in BioProfile 77, 98, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 7 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 7 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 check this page; after that check, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page explains and does not give a diagnosis. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
