Do I need to be fasted for the Cholesterol Blood Test?

Your triglyceride levels are affected by what you've eaten recently so we recommend that you fast for 12 hours before taking the cholesterol blood test. Usually this means you should take the test first thing in the morning before breakfast.

Who should not use the Cholesterol Blood Test?

We do not recommend using this test panel if you: are a child (17 years or under) without supervision from an adult are pregnant or breastfeeding (because these conditions can affect your cholesterol levels in the short-term) If you're unsure if you should use this test panel, please contact us for advice.

Cholesterol Blood Test

Check your cholesterol levels quickly and easily with our Cholesterol Blood Test. Order online, collect your sample at home and post it to our NHS testing lab to get your cholesterol results in days.

Results and doctor's report in 2 days or less
Free, next-working day delivery
Clearly explained results

£42.00

Personalise your Cholesterol Blood Test

You can choose how you'd like to collect your blood sample. You may also want to add to your test panel depending on your age, sex and any symptoms.

Choose how to collect your blood sample

Finger-prick blood collection

Free

Use our simple kit to collect a blood sample from your finger at home.

Visit a clinic to have your blood taken

£35.00

Book a venous draw at home or work with a nurse

£70.00

Arrange your own venous blood draw

Free

Add to your test

Dr Claire Merrifield

GP, PhD and our Medical Director

What you need to know about our Cholesterol Blood Test

Dr Claire Merrifield

GP, PhD and our Medical Director

High cholesterol levels cause no symptoms but are a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and dementia. Checking your cholesterol levels regularly is one of the most important things you can to stay healthy in the long-term.

When should you take a cholesterol blood test?

You're never too young to take a cholesterol blood test. 1 in 200 of us have a genetic condition that causes high cholesterol from a young age.

But even without this, 1-in-4 adults under 40 have high cholesterol levels.

You should take a cholesterol blood test every year to track your levels over time. If you see your cholesterol levels creeping up little-by-little every year, it's a sign that you need to make changes to your lifestyle to stop your levels getting high.

Why should you take a cholesterol blood test?

Keeping your cholesterol levels low is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy in the long-term. High cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and dementia.

High cholesterol levels won't give you symptoms so taking a cholesterol blood test is the only way to know your levels and optimise your health.

What's the normal range for a cholesterol blood test?

Your cholesterol blood test includes a few biomakers collectively called your "lipid profile". The most important biomarkers are your triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol. The normal ranges for your cholesterol blood test are:

	Low	Optimal	Normal	Borderline High	High
Triglycerides (mmol/L)		< 1.13	< 1.7	1.7 - 2.3	> 2.3
LDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)		< 2	< 3		> 3
non-HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)		< 2.5	< 3.9		> 3.9
HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)	< 0.9		0.9 - 1.5		> 1.5

What causes high cholesterol levels?

Your cholesterol levels are affected by your diet, weight, exercise, sleep, stress and your genes. All other things being equal, your choleserol levels will only tend to go up as you get older. You can't affect your genes but you can affect all the other factors. If you see your cholesterol levels creeping up over time, it's a sign that you need to make changes to your lifestyle to stop your levels getting high.

What's tested in your Cholesterol Blood Test?

Cholesterol Status
Your lipid profile - the levels of triglycerides and cholesterols in your blood - is an important risk factor for heart disease, stroke and dementia.
WHAT'S MEASURED?
- Triglycerides are a type of fat that your body uses for energy.
- Cholesterol is a type of fat that is present in the blood. Total cholesterol is the sum of all the different types of cholesterol in the body - some good and some bad.
- HDL cholesterol is the amount of cholesterol carried on High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) particles. The latest evidence suggests that the HDL cholesterol level is not directly related to the risk of heart disease. However, it's still a useful marker of metabolic health as low levels can indicate insulin resistance.
- LDL cholesterol is the cholesterol carried on Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) particles particles. It's the major type of 'non-HDL' cholesterol. Higher LDL cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
- Your non-HDL cholesterol is your total cholesterol minus your HDL cholesterol. Most non-HDL cholesterol is LDL-cholesterol. Higher non-HDL cholesterol levels are strongly associated with increased risk of heart disease. The lower we can get your non-HDL cholesterol level the better.
- This is the amount of total cholesterol compared to HDL cholesterol. Studies have shown that a lower ratio is associated with better health and reduced risk of heart disease. It is used by some guidelines to determine if someone could benefit from taking lipid-lowering medication.

Learn more about the Cholesterol Blood Test

: Your triglyceride levels are affected by what you've eaten recently so we recommend that you fast for 12 hours before taking the cholesterol blood test. Usually this means you should take the test first thing in the morning before breakfast.
: We do not recommend using this test panel if you:

are a child (17 years or under) without supervision from an adult

are pregnant or breastfeeding (because these conditions can affect your cholesterol levels in the short-term)

If you're unsure if you should use this test panel, please contact us for advice.