Cholesterol: Understand Your Numbers
What your LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels mean — and what you can realistically do to improve them between lab tests.
Guides
Evidence-based answers to the questions people ask most after getting high cholesterol results.
How Long Does It Take to Lower Cholesterol?
What the evidence shows about timelines for diet, exercise, and medication.
How Much Can Cholesterol Drop in 90 Days?
Realistic ranges for LDL, triglycerides, and HDL over the standard follow-up window.
Can You Lower Cholesterol Without Medication?
When lifestyle changes are enough — and when medication is the right call.
LDL 160: What It Means and How to Lower It
At the lower end of the high range — what doctors look for and what lifestyle changes can realistically do.
What Cholesterol Level Requires Medication?
How doctors actually make the medication decision — and what the evidence says about when a lifestyle trial is appropriate.
What Affects Cholesterol the Most?
The major drivers of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides ranked by impact — and what to focus on first.
How Quickly Does Exercise Lower LDL?
The timeline and magnitude of exercise's effect on LDL, HDL, and triglycerides — and what kind works best.
Does Weight Loss Reduce Cholesterol?
Which cholesterol markers respond most to weight loss, by how much, and over what timeframe.
Foods That Reduce LDL Cholesterol Fastest
The foods with the strongest evidence for LDL reduction — how they work and what to expect.
What Doctors Recommend to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
What current clinical guidelines specifically recommend — and what the evidence shows actually works.
Can You Track Cholesterol Between Lab Tests?
Labs are 90 days apart. What you can and can't measure in the gap between draws — and how to stay accountable.
How Much Can Statins Lower LDL?
Expected LDL reduction by statin intensity and dose, and how that compares to lifestyle changes alone.
Does Alcohol Increase Cholesterol?
How alcohol affects triglycerides, HDL, and LDL differently — and how much is actually significant.
Does Oatmeal Really Lower Cholesterol?
What the evidence says about oats and soluble fiber — and how much of an effect to realistically expect.
How Much Saturated Fat Is Too Much?
Daily limits by calorie intake, and how saturated fat compares to other dietary levers for LDL.
How to Prepare for Your Next Cholesterol Test
What affects lab accuracy — fasting, exercise, alcohol — and how to get a result you can trust.
LDL Levels Explained
Got a specific number back? Find out what it means and what to do next.
Triglyceride Levels Explained
Triglycerides often respond faster than LDL — find your number to understand your options.
Free Calculators
Enter the numbers from your last lipid panel to see what they mean.
Lipid Score Calculator
One score for your overall lipid profile.
LDL Calculator (Friedewald)
Calculate LDL from Total, HDL, and Triglycerides.
Cholesterol Ratio Calculator
Total ÷ HDL — a key risk predictor.
Non-HDL Calculator
Total − HDL, reliable even with high triglycerides.
Unit Converter
Convert mg/dL to mmol/L and back.
Track your progress in the app
LipidLog lets you log daily habits, track your cholesterol score, and see real progress between lab tests — not just at them.
Download on the App Store