Is an HDL level of 45 good or bad?

According to Mayo Clinic, an HDL level of 45 would be considered good for an adult male.

For an adult female, an HDL level of 45 would be considered poor.

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What is a good HDL level?

According to Mayo Clinic, the optimal HDL level is 60 mg/dL or higher for both adult men and women.

While rare, an HDL may cause negative health outcomes if it's too high, but there isn't yet a consensus among medical professionals on what would constitute such a level.

More information about an HDL level of 45

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein and is commonly called "good cholesterol" because of its role in attaching to and removing LDL (bad cholesterol) from the bloodsteam.

An HDL level of 45 may be written on a lab report as 45 mg/dL, or milligrams per deciliter. This means there would be 45 milligrams of HDL per deciliter of blood. For reference, 1 deciliter is equal to 100 milliliters, or approximately 3.38 US fluid ounces.

How do you measure HDL?

HDL is typically measured by a blood test, also called a lipid profile or lipid panel, ordered by your doctor. To get an accurate reading, you're typically asked to fast for at least 8 to 10 hours prior to the test.

You can also measure HDL levels at home with a digital cholesterol meter. To use one, you typically prick a finger with a lancet or fingerstick, add a drop of blood to a test strip, and insert the strip into the meter. While convenient, the reliability of readings from at-home cholesterol meters is debated.

Relevant HSA expenses

If you have an HSA as part of your health insurance plan, you'll be pleased to find that cholesterol meters and cholesterol test kits are both eligible.

Explore HDL levels similar to 45

Sources

• About cholesterol - American Heart Association
• High cholesterol - Mayo Clinic

Disclaimer

The information on this page is intended to be an educational reference and is not to be taken as medical advice. If you think you're having a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately.