What is an optimal HDL cholesterol level?
The short answer
Optimal HDL cholesterol is above 60 mg/dL, as stated on video.
Most labs call HDL cholesterol low only under 50. So your report can come back normal at 55 while you sit under the optimal floor.
Labs print different ranges by sex: about 50–100 mg/dL for women and 40–90 for men.
“Your HDL should be over 60 ideally, over 50 if you can manage it.”
Not every source trusts this test.
“If HDLs are important to the cardiovascular system — and I maintain they are — the metric HDL cholesterol is useless.”
What each range means
The rows below use the range labs print for women. For men it is 40–90 mg/dL.
- under 50 mg/dL Most labs flag this as low
- 50–60 mg/dL Normal on most reports. Below optimal Dr. Mark Hyman · 11:21 →
- above 60 mg/dL Optimal
What HDL cholesterol measures
The cholesterol carried on HDL particles.
HDL carries cholesterol away from artery walls. The particle count matters more than the cholesterol inside it.
Checked against MedlinePlus — Cholesterol Levels.
Why it matters, on the record
“the higher triglycerides and the lower your HDL, the more you had a higher risk for heart attack”
Common questions
What is an optimal HDL cholesterol level?
Above 60 mg/dL, from a quote on video (Dr. Mark Hyman, 11:21).
What is a normal HDL cholesterol level?
Most US labs print 50–100 mg/dL. Your report grades you against that range. It exists to catch disease, not to describe your best. Labs print different ranges by sex: about 50–100 mg/dL for women and 40–90 for men.
What does your HDL cholesterol number mean?
On a typical lab range, under 50 mg/dL is low, 50 to 100 is normal and over 100 is high. Your own report prints its range next to your number, and that is the one your lab uses. The optimal range on this page comes with the quote behind it. Labs print different ranges by sex: about 50–100 mg/dL for women and 40–90 for men.
Is HDL cholesterol of 55 normal?
A typical lab range calls it normal. On video, the optimal floor is 60 mg/dL (Dr. Mark Hyman, 11:21), so by that line it is low. Not every source trusts this test.
Do the sources agree?
No. There is also a case against the measure itself: “If HDLs are important to the cardiovascular system — and I maintain they are — the metric HDL cholesterol is useless.” (Dr. Thomas Dayspring, 43:31)
What does the HDL cholesterol test measure?
The cholesterol carried on HDL particles. HDL carries cholesterol away from artery walls. The particle count matters more than the cholesterol inside it.
Where the record disagrees
“If HDLs are important to the cardiovascular system — and I maintain they are — the metric HDL cholesterol is useless.”