Quick answer
A lipid panel (also called a lipid profile or cholesterol test) directly measures three things: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Most labs then calculate LDL cholesterol, VLDL and non-HDL cholesterol from those numbers. Desirable adult results are total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL, LDL under 100, HDL at or above 60 and triglycerides under 150. Labcorp OnDemand lists its lipid panel at $59. What the panel does not show is particle count (ApoB) or the inherited particle Lp(a), which the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline says every adult should have measured at least once.
What is in a lipid panel
| Marker | Measured or calculated | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | Measured | All cholesterol in LDL, HDL, VLDL and other particles |
| HDL cholesterol | Measured | Cholesterol in HDL particles, which carry it back to the liver |
| Triglycerides | Measured | Blood fats, mostly in VLDL; rise after meals and alcohol |
| LDL cholesterol | Usually calculated | Cholesterol in LDL particles, the main target of treatment |
| VLDL cholesterol | Calculated (TG divided by 5) | Cholesterol in triglyceride-rich particles |
| Non-HDL cholesterol | Calculated (total minus HDL) | All cholesterol in particles that can clog arteries |
| Total cholesterol to HDL ratio | Calculated | A rough risk ratio some labs print |
Lipid panel normal ranges
Cholesterol has cut-offs rather than a normal range. These are the adult categories from the NCEP ATP III report used by MedlinePlus and most US labs, in mg/dL with mmol/L in brackets:
| Marker | Desirable | Borderline | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | Under 200 (5.17) | 200 to 239 | 240 or more |
| LDL cholesterol | Under 100 (2.59) | 130 to 159 (100 to 129 is near optimal) | 160 to 189; 190+ very high (4.91) |
| HDL cholesterol | 60 or more (1.55) | Low: under 40 (1.03) in men, under 50 (1.29) in women | |
| Triglycerides | Under 150 (1.69) | 150 to 199 | 200 to 499; 500+ very high (5.64) |
| Non-HDL cholesterol | Under 130 | Higher values carry more risk |
Your own target depends on your risk, not just the category. The 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline brought back numeric LDL goals:
Goals are upper limits (stay under each value), from the American Heart Association summary of the March 2026 guideline. Your doctor sets your risk level, now with the PREVENT-ASCVD calculator.
To convert results, multiply cholesterol in mg/dL by 0.0259 or triglycerides by 0.0113, or use our lab unit converter. Age and sex patterns are in cholesterol levels by age.
Calculated vs direct LDL
Measuring LDL directly is expensive, so most labs estimate it from the three measured values. There are four ways it can appear on your report:
| Method | How it works | Strengths | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friedewald (1972) | LDL = total minus HDL minus triglycerides/5 | Simple, used for 50 years | Assumes a fixed TG:VLDL ratio of 5; not valid at triglycerides of 400 mg/dL or more; less accurate below LDL 70 |
| Martin-Hopkins (2013) | Same idea, but the divisor comes from a 180-cell table by triglyceride and non-HDL level | Agreed with measured LDL risk class 91.7% of the time vs 85.4% for Friedewald (triglycerides under 400) | Needs the table or software |
| Sampson / NIH (2020) | A regression equation using total, HDL and triglycerides | Validated up to triglycerides of 800 mg/dL; error 15.2 mg/dL vs 32 for Friedewald | Newer; not every lab uses it |
| Direct LDL | Measured by a separate assay | Works when triglycerides are high | Costs more; methods vary between labs |
Martin's team found the real TG:VLDL ratio in 1.35 million US lipid profiles had a median of 5.2 but ranged widely (middle half 4.5 to 6.0), which is why a fixed 5 goes wrong at the extremes. If your report says "lipid panel with reflex to direct LDL", the lab adds a measured LDL automatically when triglycerides are too high for the formula.
Worked example: doing the math
A 45-year-old man's panel: total cholesterol 210, HDL 50, triglycerides 150 mg/dL.
- VLDL = 150 / 5 = 30 mg/dL
- LDL (Friedewald) = 210 minus 50 minus 30 = 130 mg/dL, borderline high
- Non-HDL = 210 minus 50 = 160 mg/dL
- Total to HDL ratio = 4.2; triglyceride to HDL ratio = 3.0
After a month of takeout and beer his triglycerides are 300, total 220 and HDL 45. Friedewald now gives 220 minus 45 minus 60 = 115, so LDL appears to have fallen 15 points. It probably did not: at high triglycerides the real TG:VLDL ratio is above 5, so dividing by 5 overstates VLDL and understates LDL. Non-HDL (175) went up, which is the honest signal. A Martin-Hopkins or Sampson estimate, a direct LDL, or an ApoB test would settle it.
Do you need to fast for a lipid panel?
Usually not. The 2016 European Atherosclerosis Society consensus found a normal meal raises triglycerides by about 26 mg/dL and lowers total and LDL cholesterol by about 8 mg/dL, with no change in HDL. The 2018 AHA/ACC guideline accepts a non-fasting panel for routine checks and asks for a fasting repeat if non-fasting triglycerides are 400 mg/dL or more. Some labs still ask anyway: Labcorp OnDemand's lipid panel page says to fast 12 hours. Details in our guide to fasting before a blood test.
What ApoB adds
Every LDL, VLDL, IDL and Lp(a) particle carries exactly one apolipoprotein B molecule, so ApoB is a count of the particles that can lodge in artery walls. LDL cholesterol measures how much cholesterol those particles carry, which is not the same thing. The 2024 National Lipid Association consensus says that when the two disagree, risk follows ApoB. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline says ApoB may be the more accurate marker in people with type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides or cardiometabolic disease.
| Man A | Man B | |
|---|---|---|
| LDL cholesterol | 130 mg/dL | 130 mg/dL |
| Triglycerides | 90 mg/dL | 250 mg/dL |
| ApoB | 100 mg/dL | 135 mg/dL |
| Reading | Fewer, cholesterol-rich particles | Many small particles; at or above the 130 mg/dL risk-enhancer line of the 2018 guideline |
Same LDL, different risk. See our ApoB test guide for where to get one.
What Lp(a) adds
Lipoprotein(a) is an LDL-like particle whose level is set mostly by your genes and barely moves with diet. It is never on a standard lipid panel. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline says to measure it at least once in adulthood: 125 nmol/L (50 mg/dL) or more is linked to about 1.4 times the long-term risk of heart attack or stroke, and 250 nmol/L to at least double. Because mg/dL and nmol/L measure different things, there is no exact conversion; compare results in the same unit. Our Lp(a) test guide lists options.
| Marker | On a standard lipid panel? | Why add it |
|---|---|---|
| ApoB | No | Particle count; better when LDL and triglycerides disagree |
| Lp(a) | No | Inherited risk; one test is usually enough |
| ApoA1 | No | Main HDL protein; ApoB:ApoA1 ratio |
| hs-CRP | No | Inflammation, a guideline risk refiner |
Cost and where to test
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Labcorp OnDemand lipid panel | $59 (list) | TC, HDL, TG, LDL, VLDL at a lab; 12-hour fast asked |
| Labcorp OnDemand Complete Heart Health with ApoB | $169 (list) | Lipids plus ApoB at a lab |
| Doctor-ordered screening | Often $0 in network | Standard lipid panel under ACA preventive benefits |
| SiPhox Longevity Essentials | $149 with shipping | 31 markers: lipids plus ApoB, Lp(a), ApoA1, HbA1c, hs-CRP, at home |
| SiPhox Heart & Metabolic | $149 with shipping | 28 markers: lipids, ApoB, Lp(a), plus kidney and liver |
More home options in our at-home cholesterol test roundup and heart disease risk blood test guide.
Which test to choose
| If you want | Test | Choose |
|---|---|---|
| A basic screening check | Standard lipid panel | Your doctor, or Labcorp OnDemand at $59 |
| To know if a high-triglyceride LDL is real | Direct LDL or ApoB | Lab panel with reflex to direct LDL, or an ApoB test |
| Your inherited risk, once | Lp(a) | Any lab, or a SiPhox panel that includes it |
| To track a diet or statin change every 3 months | Lipids plus ApoB | SiPhox Heart & Metabolic (adds kidney and liver markers) |
| The full heart picture at home | Lipids, ApoB, Lp(a), ApoA1, hs-CRP, HbA1c | SiPhox Longevity Essentials |
Longevity Essentials
The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.
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Heart & Metabolic
Lipids plus kidney and liver function: the panel for cardiovascular and metabolic risk.
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need to fast for a lipid panel?
Usually not. Guidelines accept non-fasting panels for routine checks because a meal changes LDL by only about 8 mg/dL. Fast 9 to 12 hours if your lab asks or if a previous non-fasting triglyceride result was 400 mg/dL or more.
What is a normal lipid panel?
For adults: total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL, LDL under 100, HDL 60 or higher (at least 40 in men and 50 in women) and triglycerides under 150.
Is LDL measured or calculated on a lipid panel?
Usually calculated, most often with the Friedewald formula (total minus HDL minus triglycerides divided by 5). Some labs use the Martin-Hopkins or Sampson equation, or measure LDL directly when triglycerides are high.
Does a lipid panel include ApoB or Lp(a)?
No. Both are separate tests. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends measuring Lp(a) at least once in adulthood and uses ApoB to refine risk in some groups.
How often should you get a lipid panel?
The CDC says most healthy adults every 4 to 6 years, more often with heart disease, diabetes or a family history. After starting or changing treatment, the 2026 guideline rechecks at 4 to 12 weeks, then every 6 to 12 months.
Sources
- MedlinePlus: Cholesterol levels
- NHLBI: ATP III guidelines at-a-glance quick desk reference (NCEP)
- Friedewald WT, Levy RI, Fredrickson DS. Estimation of LDL cholesterol without the preparative ultracentrifuge. Clin Chem 1972
- Martin SS et al. Comparison of a novel method vs the Friedewald equation for estimating LDL cholesterol. JAMA 2013
- Sampson M et al. A new equation for calculation of LDL cholesterol in normolipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia. JAMA Cardiol 2020
- Nordestgaard BG et al. Fasting is not routinely required for determination of a lipid profile: EAS and EFLM joint consensus. Eur Heart J 2016
- Grundy SM et al. 2018 AHA/ACC guideline on the management of blood cholesterol. Circulation 2019
- American Heart Association newsroom: ACC/AHA issue updated guideline for managing lipids, cholesterol (March 13, 2026)
- Blumenthal RS et al. 2026 ACC/AHA multisociety guideline on the management of dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol 2026
- Soffer DE et al. Role of apolipoprotein B in the clinical management of cardiovascular risk: NLA expert consensus. J Clin Lipidol 2024
- MedlinePlus: Lipoprotein (a) blood test
- Labcorp OnDemand: Cholesterol test (lipid panel), price and fasting
- Labcorp OnDemand: Complete Heart Health test with ApoB
- CDC: Getting your cholesterol checked
- HealthCare.gov: Preventive care benefits for adults
- SiPhox Health: Longevity Essentials panel page (add-ons including CBC)
- SiPhox Health panel comparison