BloodTestEasy

Cholesterol 142 mg/dL

= 3.68 mmol/L in SI units

Desirable
4580120200240300400600142
  • Markedly low
  • Low
  • Desirable
  • Borderline high
  • High
  • Very high
  • Extremely high
Your band
Desirable · 12–2 mg/dL
SI units
142 mg/dL = 3.68 mmol/L

What 142 mg/dL means

A total cholesterol of 142 mg/dL is in the desirable range for adults — below the 200 mg/dL line US guidelines use.

Your total cholesterol is where guidelines want it to be, which is good news for long-term heart and blood vessel health. Keep in mind the total is a sum: it is still worth glancing at the HDL and LDL numbers on the same panel, because a desirable total can occasionally hide a low HDL or a higher-than-ideal LDL. If those parts look good too, this result needs no action beyond staying on your current track.

The high-side cutoffs (desirable below 200 mg/dL, borderline high 200–239, high 240 and above) follow the US National Cholesterol Education Program (ATP III) categories most American labs print, and are the same for men and women. No US guideline defines an official "too low" line for total cholesterol, so the low-end boundaries here (low below 120 mg/dL, markedly low below 80 mg/dL) follow common clinical usage rather than a formal cutoff. This scale runs from 45 to 600 mg/dL; the rare results outside it call for the same response as the nearest extreme band.

Sensible next steps

  1. Look at the HDL and LDL lines on the same report to confirm the full picture is favorable
  2. Keep up the habits that help: regular activity, a diet low in saturated fat, not smoking
  3. Recheck about every 4 to 6 years, or as often as your clinician recommends based on your overall risk
  4. Mention any strong family history of early heart disease to your clinician, since risk involves more than this one number

Frequently asked questions

Is 142 mg/dL a normal total cholesterol level?

Yes — 142 mg/dL is in the desirable range (below 200 mg/dL) that US guidelines recommend for adults. It is still smart to glance at your HDL and LDL numbers, since the total is a sum and can occasionally hide an unfavorable breakdown.

What total cholesterol level is considered dangerous?

Unlike some lab values, total cholesterol has no "panic" number that sends you to the ER — its danger builds silently over years by narrowing arteries. Guidelines flag 240 mg/dL and above as high, and levels of 300 mg/dL or more warrant prompt evaluation because they often signal an inherited condition. The real danger comes from leaving a high level untreated for years, not from any single day's reading.

Do I need to fast before a cholesterol test?

Often not anymore. Total cholesterol and HDL barely change after eating, so many clinicians now accept nonfasting lipid panels for screening. Fasting (typically 9–12 hours, water allowed) mainly matters when triglycerides or a calculated LDL need to be precise. If your result was borderline or unexpected, your clinician may repeat it fasting — follow the instructions your lab or clinician gives you.

Can I lower my cholesterol with diet and exercise alone?

Often, yes — meaningfully. Cutting saturated fat, adding soluble fiber (oats, beans, fruit), losing excess weight, and exercising regularly can lower total cholesterol, commonly enough to move a borderline number back into the desirable range within a few months. How far lifestyle alone can take you depends on how much of your level is driven by genetics, so recheck after 3–6 months and review the result with your clinician.

Is a total cholesterol of 142 mg/dL too low?

No — 142 mg/dL is not too low. It sits within the desirable range below 200 mg/dL, which is exactly where guidelines want adult cholesterol to be.

Does high cholesterol cause any symptoms?

Almost never — that is why it is called a silent risk factor. You cannot feel high cholesterol; the first "symptom" of years of untreated high cholesterol can be a heart attack or stroke. The rare exceptions are visible signs at very high, usually inherited levels: yellowish bumps on tendons, patches on the eyelids, or a gray ring around the iris at a young age. A blood test is the only reliable way to know your level.

Check a different Cholesterol value

Related values on your lab report

Sources

Educational information, not medical advice. Reference ranges vary between labs — always compare with the range printed on your own report and discuss results with your doctor. Full disclaimer