Total Cholesterol
Total cholesterol rises through early adulthood, peaks in middle age, and the distribution widens with age as metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors accumulate across the US population.
Unit: mg/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Lipid Panel , Metabolic Panel · topics: Lipids , Metabolic
Total cholesterol is the sum of LDL, HDL, and VLDL cholesterol fractions measured in a standard lipid panel. These percentiles are derived from the full US population and include individuals on lipid-lowering medication. The distribution is right-skewed at all ages. Note: 1 mg/dL is approximately 0.02586 mmol/L.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (mg/dL) | female (mg/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 124–254 (162) | 121.4–230 (167.6) |
| 30-39 | 135–255 (188) | 134–242.2 (180) |
| 40-49 | 134–265.6 (198) | 145–246 (190) |
| 50-59 | 125–255 (187) | 151–277.2 (205) |
| 60-69 | 111–244 (178.8) | 139–281 (203) |
| 70+ | 117–238 (166) | 130–270 (189) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do these percentiles include people on statins?
These are population percentiles, not clinical reference ranges. They describe where values fall across the full US population, including individuals on lipid-lowering therapy. Excluding statin users would produce a different (higher) distribution that does not reflect what the population actually looks like.
Why does total cholesterol peak in middle age and not continue rising?
Several factors converge in older adults: increased statin use, dietary changes, weight loss associated with aging, and survivor bias (individuals with very high cholesterol are more likely to have had cardiovascular events before reaching older age groups). The net effect is that the upper tail of the distribution tends to fall in the 70+ group compared to the 50-59 group.
How do I convert mg/dL to mmol/L?
Multiply by 0.02586. For example, 200 mg/dL is approximately 5.17 mmol/L. The mmol/L unit is used in most countries outside the United States.