Doctors use cholesterol test levels as one way to gauge how healthy a person is. Sometimes a cholesterol reading will suggest you have high cholesterol, but that isn't always a case. There are factors that cause these numbers to be high when you are actually at a healthy level.

Cholesterol Test

The numbers on a cholesterol test indicate levels of your total cholesterol, high-density lipid protein (HDL, or good, cholesterol), low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or bad, cholesterol) and triglycerides, or a type of fat found in the blood.

Diet

Cholesterol levels can change daily based on what types of food you consume. Foods that are high in saturated fat can boost your cholesterol levels, if eaten before a test. Alcohol consumption can increase your triglyceride count. The Mayo Clinic recommends fasting 12 hours before a cholesterol test to get an accurate reading.

Medications

Certain medications, such as hormonal birth control, can increase your cholesterol count. More specifically, the estrogen in this type of contraception can increase HDL and triglycerides.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, cholesterol levels may be higher than normal. This may happen because of the increased levels of estrogen hormone. High cholesterol during pregnancy can be treated with a healthy diet and exercise, as medication is usually unnecessary and can be harmful to the fetus.

Test Levels

Healthy total cholesterol levels are below 200 mg/dL, and high levels are above 240 mg/dL. At-risk HDL levels are below 40 mg/dL, and healthy levels are above 60 mg/dL, according to the American Heart Association.

Source:

The Mayo Clinic

American Heart Association

More Information:

Cholesterol Lab Test