A patient seated in the chair before a blood draw
In person

HDL Cholesterol

Your HDL, often called good cholesterol, from one blood draw.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Blood draw
A standard blood draw at the lab.
Preparation
Fasting preferred
Fast 9 to 12 hours. Water is fine.
Results
1 to 2 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

HDL cholesterol is carried by high-density lipoproteins, which move cholesterol away from tissues and back to the liver. Higher HDL is generally linked with lower heart risk, which is why it is called good cholesterol. It is read with total cholesterol and triglycerides. Fasting is preferred.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults who want to check HDL as part of a heart risk check-in, a yearly baseline, or to follow a past result, often alongside other cholesterol tests.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows how much cholesterol is carried in HDL particles, which can help you and a healthcare provider read your lipid results and heart risk together.

HDL cholesterol
HDL is a lipoprotein that carries cholesterol away from your arteries and back to your liver for processing. Higher HDL has generally been linked to lower heart risk, though it is read as part of the full set of results. Exercise, smoking, weight, and diabetes can all affect it.
Why it’s measured: The cholesterol carrier linked to moving cholesterol out of arteries.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. Fast 9 to 12 hours. Water is fine. Nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 1 to 2 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

HDL is reported in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and compared with the lab’s reference range, which is shown on your report.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

HDL is one part of heart risk, so talk with a healthcare provider about your result together with your other lipids and history.

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

HDL particles pick up extra cholesterol and carry it back to the liver, which clears it. HDL is inversely related to heart disease risk, meaning higher levels are generally linked with lower risk.

The nickname is a simplification. HDL is one part of heart risk, and a healthcare provider reads it with your other results.

Fasting is preferred. The lab asks for a fast of 9 to 12 hours when HDL is drawn with a separate triglyceride test, so fasting keeps your results comparable if you add one. Water is fine. If you add other tests, follow the preparation shown for each one.

If you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, ask your prescriber how to fast safely before your visit.

Regular exercise is linked with higher HDL, while excess weight, stress, smoking, and diabetes are linked with lower levels. A healthcare provider can help you understand what is behind your number and whether anything should change.

No. A higher HDL is generally linked with lower risk, but it does not cancel out other risks like a high LDL, high blood pressure, smoking, or diabetes. HDL alone also does not show the health of your arteries. A healthcare provider reads it with your other results and risk factors.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.