I believe that ratios are much more important than any single cholesterol number.* I wanted a cholesterol ratio calculator for my own use that allows me to quickly compare the results of two tests, so I coded my own. You also won’t find the typical feedback for individual numbers… Read what I’ve learned about cholesterol and My Heart Attack Recovery Story.
By entering your HDL-C, LDL-C, and Triglycerides; the Total, Remnant / VLDL (Remnant also contains IDL), and their ratios will be calculated for you.
Be sure to see the note below about standard lipid tests.
Enter mm/dl values.
ExcellentGoodWarningDanger BetterSameWorse
The Remnant-C “grade” is based on my interpretation of “fuzzy” information. Generally speaking, it is a good indicator of insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk. The lower this is, the better. It seems 15 and under is ideal from all that I’ve read so far.
I added a “warning” zone for the ratios. Most sites have ideal or optimal, good and bad categories. Well, from all my learnings, we should have a “warning” zone before getting too bad because bad is… VERY BAD! Of course this brings me to my feeling about standard cholesterol tests.
Standard lipid tests do not tell the full story! They measure the MASS of the particles and do not actually count the particles nor measure their sizes. In fact, LDL-C is often calculated nor is it entirely accurate, and not even measured! (I assume it was measured for this calculator and calculated the total.) The actual number of particles and their sizes tells much more. I recommended getting a Fractional Lipid Panel (NMR Test) regardless of the ratios.
What is a normal cholesterol ratio?
Define normal. Some people and organizations accept “good” and if I didn’t add the “warning” zone, then that “good” could include some pretty high and what I consider dangerous ratios. I target for the optimal ranges for my ratios. These optimal ratios are: Total to HDL less than 3.5. LDL to HDL less than 2. TG to HDL between 0.5 and 2.
How do I calculate my Total:HDL cholesterol ratio?
The Total to HDL ratio is calculated by dividing the Total by HDL. This calculator does this by simply entering your HDL-C, LDL-C, and Triglycerides.
What is a good Total Cholesterol to HDL ratio?
Optimal is less than 3.5. Good is between 3.5 & 4.25. Warning is between 4.25 & 5. Very Bad is over 5.
How do I calculate my LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio?
LDL to HDL ratio is calculated by dividing LDL by HDL. This calculator does this by simply entering your HDL-C and LDL-C cholesterol test results.
What is a good LDL to HDL cholesterol ratio?
Optimal is less than 2. Good is between 2 & 3.5. Warning is between 3.5 & 5. Very Bad is over 5.
How do I calculate my Triglyceride:HDL cholesterol ratio?
The triglyceride to HDL ratio is calculated by dividing TG by HDL. This calculator does this by simply entering your HDL-C and Triglyceride cholesterol test results.
What is a good Triglyceride (TG) to HDL cholesterol ratio?
Optimal is between 0.5 & 2. Good is between 2 & 4. Warning is between 4 & 6. Very Bad is over 6.
While all three ratios are important to look at, I feel the triglyceride to HDL ratio is one of the most important ones in terms of cardiovascular and metabolic health. The optimal range is set between .5 and 2, but I feel optimal is for .5 to 1.
How is Remnant / VLDL cholesterol calculated?
Remnant Cholesterol actually contains other lipoproteins in addition to VLDL such as IDL, and its calculated result is often identical to the VLDL calculation that is commonly used.
Remnant-C can be easily calculated as TOTAL – HDL – LDL. This is the formula that I use.
VLDL is calculated as TG/5. I don’t like this formula because you have to use a different one if you have higher triglycerides. The Remnant-C formula seems more appropriate to me.
*VLDL/Remnant is one number that may be worth considering “alone” more than Total, HDL, and LDL on their own. This is a calculation, however, it can be an indicator of insulin resistance. Remnant-C is becoming popular to take note of for cardiovascular risk.
LDL-C is often calculated using the Friedewald equation as Total – HDL – (TG / 5) = LDL-C. Which is similar to how they calculate the Total as noted just above. 🙄 Seriously, get an NMR Lipo-profile.
How do I calculate my Small LDL-P?
You can’t calculate Small LDL-P from a standard cholesterol test. Get Small LDL-P measured with an NMR test. Seriously, that test tells so much more than a standard/basic test!
The results of this calculator do not diagnose any condition that you may have. Discuss with your healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your health. I encourage you to educate yourself and be sure that your choice of healthcare professional is the right one for you!
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