Home › Biomarkers › Total cholesterol
According to the Hartstichting, you have a higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease if your total cholesterol is 5 mmol/l or higher.[1]
On this page you can read what total cholesterol is, what the guidelines say about a level that is too low or too high, what affects your level and which other levels are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: cholesterol, total cholesterol level. At the lab: CHOL.
Total cholesterol is all the cholesterol in your blood added together. That means the bad particles, such as LDL cholesterol, but also HDL cholesterol.[1]
LDL is called the bad cholesterol. LDL particles can build up in your blood vessels. HDL, on the other hand, helps clear cholesterol from your blood. It is sometimes called the good cholesterol.[1]
Sometimes your liver makes too much cholesterol. Or too little cholesterol is removed from your blood. Then your level can become high.[1]
According to the Hartstichting, high cholesterol increases your chance of conditions of the heart and blood vessels. This applies equally to men and women.[1]
A doctor looks at more than just your cholesterol. To estimate your risk, the doctor can use your non-HDL cholesterol, together with, for example, your age, your sex, your blood pressure and whether you smoke.[1]
Anyone can have high cholesterol, young people included. That is why it is good to know your level.[1]
Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with, uses a reference range of 0.0 to 6.5 mmol/l for total cholesterol. The lab calls a level within those limits normal.[2]
| Total cholesterol (mmol/l) | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Below 5[1] | Normal | General classification, no separate group named |
| 5 to 6.5[1] | Slightly raised | General classification, no separate group named |
| 6.5 to 8[1] | Raised | General classification, no separate group named |
| 8 or higher[1] | Greatly raised | General classification, no separate group named |
Source: Hartstichting, classification of total cholesterol in mmol/l.[1]
Is your level 5 mmol/l or higher? According to the Hartstichting, that can point to an increased risk of conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Your doctor will look at your overall risk, such as your 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 younger people.[1]
In women, 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 in women actually rises more.[1]
Sometimes your cholesterol is raised because of a hereditary condition. In young people with high cholesterol, it is usually a hereditary form that is passed down in the family.[1]
According to the Hartstichting, you can lower your cholesterol yourself by living healthily. Eating healthily often already helps to lower your triglycerides.[1]
Total cholesterol is included in BioProfile 77, 98, 121 and 150.[3]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 6 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 6 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert will still review this page; after that review, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page explains, it does not diagnose. Discuss an abnormal result with your GP.
