Quick answer: in the HDL cholesterol normal range from MedlinePlus, under 40 mg/dL is low for men and under 50 mg/dL low for women, with 60 mg/dL or more best for both. Cleveland Clinic puts the normal band at 40 to 80 mg/dL for men and 50 to 80 mg/dL for women. A large Danish study found the lowest death rates at about 73 mg/dL in men and 93 mg/dL in women, with risk rising again at extreme highs.
HDL cholesterol normal range
| Group | Low | Normal | Best / protective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men 20+ | Under 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) | 40 to 80 mg/dL | 60 mg/dL (1.6 mmol/L) or more | MedlinePlus; Cleveland Clinic |
| Women 20+ | Under 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L) | 50 to 80 mg/dL | 60 mg/dL or more | MedlinePlus; Cleveland Clinic |
| Age 19 or younger | More than 45 mg/dL | MedlinePlus | ||
| All adults (ATP III) | Under 40 mg/dL | 60 mg/dL or more counts as a negative risk factor | NCEP ATP III | |
To convert mg/dL to mmol/L, divide by 38.67. Cleveland Clinic calls HDL above 80 mg/dL high and worth a look, rather than simply good.
Cleveland Clinic. MedlinePlus uses the same low cutoffs (under 40 mg/dL for men, under 50 for women) and calls 60 mg/dL or more best.
What is HDL cholesterol?
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) carries cholesterol away from tissues back to the liver, which is why it is called "good" cholesterol. Its main protein is ApoA1. Low HDL has long been linked to heart disease, and ATP III counts an HDL of 60 mg/dL or more as a factor that removes one risk point.
The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline is blunter: guideline chair Roger Blumenthal said a healthy LDL or HDL "isn't necessarily a get out of jail free card", which is why it recommends looking at markers such as ApoB and Lp(a) too.
What low HDL means
Low HDL usually travels with high triglycerides and insulin resistance, and together they raise heart risk. Cleveland Clinic lists these causes:
- Excess weight (BMI over 25) and insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome
- Tobacco use, including e-cigarettes
- Some medications, such as beta-blockers and diuretics
- Rare genetic conditions, including ApoA1 deficiency and Tangier disease
SiPhox and many labs report the triglyceride:HDL and total cholesterol:HDL ratios, which combine these signals in one number. If you see low HDL, high triglycerides and a high ApoB together, that pattern is common with insulin resistance, so look at your HbA1c and C-peptide as well.
How to read your HDL result
- Compare it with the cutoff for your sex: under 40 mg/dL is low for men, under 50 mg/dL for women.
- Check whether it sits above 80 mg/dL, where Cleveland Clinic suggests looking for a cause.
- Read it next to triglycerides, LDL and ApoB. A good HDL does not cancel out a high LDL or ApoB.
Worked example: low HDL with high triglycerides
Say a 50-year-old man with a BMI of 31 gets HDL of 36 mg/dL, triglycerides of 220 mg/dL and LDL of 115 mg/dL. His HDL is 4 mg/dL under the 40 mg/dL low line for men. His triglycerides are in the ATP III high band (200 to 499 mg/dL). His triglyceride:HDL ratio is 220 divided by 36, about 6.1; US guidelines set no cutoff for it, but it is a useful number to track over time.
What might explain it: this is the low-HDL, high-triglyceride pattern that Cleveland Clinic links to excess weight (BMI over 25) and insulin resistance. Beta-blockers and diuretics can also lower HDL, so his medicine list matters.
Questions to take to his doctor:
- Should I check HbA1c and C-peptide for insulin resistance?
- Would an ApoB test tell us more than my LDL, given the high triglycerides?
- Could any of my medicines be lowering my HDL?
- Which LDL and non-HDL goals apply to me? The 2026 guideline sets goals for those, not for HDL.
What very high HDL means
More is not always better. In the Copenhagen studies of 116,508 adults (Madsen, European Heart Journal 2017), the link between HDL and death from any cause was U-shaped. Men with HDL of 116 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) or more had about twice the death rate of men at the lowest-risk level; women at 135 mg/dL (3.5 mmol/L) or more had 68% higher rates. Cleveland Clinic lists alcohol use disorder, an overactive thyroid, primary biliary cholangitis, genetic variants and some medications as causes of very high HDL. If yours is above 80 mg/dL, ask your doctor whether it needs a closer look.
Madsen et al, European Heart Journal 2017, 116,508 adults. The 116 and 135 mg/dL values are thresholds at or above which the higher rates were seen.
How to raise HDL
- Be more active: Cleveland Clinic lists more physical activity as one of three main steps.
- Reach a healthy weight and eat heart-healthy foods.
- Stop smoking or vaping.
- Review medications with your doctor if you take beta-blockers or diuretics; do not stop them on your own.
Cholesterol treatment in the 2026 guideline is built around LDL and non-HDL goals rather than an HDL target, so talk to your doctor about what applies to you.
How to test HDL
HDL is part of every standard lipid panel. MedlinePlus says you may be asked to fast for 9 to 12 hours, though the 2018 guideline accepts non-fasting samples for screening. HDL changes slowly, so compare results taken months apart under the same conditions. See our at-home cholesterol test guide for options.
Which at-home tests include HDL
HDL is on five SiPhox panels: Longevity Essentials, Heart & Metabolic, Thyroid Focus, Ultimate 360 and GLP Optimization. Hormone Focus is the only one without it.
| SiPhox panel | Biomarkers per test | Per test, with shipping | Listed as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longevity Essentials | 31 | $149 | HDL cholesterol (Heart) |
| Heart & Metabolic | 28 | $149 | HDL cholesterol (Heart) |
| Thyroid Focus | 21 | $149 | HDL cholesterol (Heart) |
| Ultimate 360 | 62 | $274 | HDL cholesterol (Heart) |
| GLP Optimization | 46 | $224 | HDL cholesterol (Heart) |
Longevity Essentials and Ultimate 360 also measure ApoA1 and the ApoB:ApoA1 ratio. All collection is done at home with the needle-free EasyDraw device on the upper arm. There is no included doctor review, so talk to your doctor about results outside the range. Read our SiPhox review for how the service works.
Longevity Essentials
The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.
Check price
Heart & Metabolic
Lipids plus kidney and liver function: the panel for cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
Check price
Thyroid Focus
A full thyroid workup including both thyroid antibodies, plus core lipids.
Check price
Frequently asked questions
What is a good HDL level?
60 mg/dL (1.6 mmol/L) or more is considered best by MedlinePlus and counts as a protective factor in ATP III. Under 40 mg/dL for men or under 50 mg/dL for women is low.
Can HDL be too high?
Yes. Cleveland Clinic calls HDL above 80 mg/dL high, and a 2017 Copenhagen study found higher death rates in men with HDL of 116 mg/dL or more and women with 135 mg/dL or more.
Why is HDL different for men and women?
Women tend to have higher HDL, so the low cutoff is higher: under 50 mg/dL for women versus under 40 mg/dL for men (MedlinePlus).
Does exercise raise HDL?
Physical activity is one of the three steps Cleveland Clinic recommends to raise HDL, along with healthy eating and reaching a healthy weight. Stopping smoking also helps.
Sources
- MedlinePlus: Cholesterol levels, what you need to know
- NHLBI: ATP III guidelines at-a-glance quick desk reference (NCEP)
- Cleveland Clinic: HDL cholesterol
- Madsen CM, Varbo A, Nordestgaard BG. Extreme high HDL cholesterol is paradoxically associated with high mortality in men and women. Eur Heart J 2017
- American Heart Association newsroom: ACC/AHA issue updated guideline for managing lipids, cholesterol (March 13, 2026)
- Grundy SM et al. 2018 AHA/ACC multisociety guideline on the management of blood cholesterol. Circulation 2019
- SiPhox Health: panel comparison and biomarker lists (checked 29 Sep 2026)