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

Total Cholesterol

All the cholesterol in your blood as one number, from one 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

Total cholesterol adds up the cholesterol carried in all your lipoproteins, including LDL and HDL. On its own it says little about heart risk, so it is read with HDL and triglycerides. Thyroid and liver conditions can also affect it. Fasting for 9 to 12 hours 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 a basic cholesterol check-in, a yearly baseline, or to follow a known level, usually alongside HDL and triglyceride results.

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 your total cholesterol, which can help you and a healthcare provider read your heart risk together with HDL, triglycerides, and your history.

Total cholesterol
Cholesterol is a waxy fat your body uses to build cells and make hormones. It travels in your blood inside particles called lipoproteins. Total cholesterol adds up the cholesterol carried in all of them, including HDL. It is read with HDL and triglycerides as part of heart-risk conversations.
Why it’s measured: A starting point for heart-risk conversations, read with HDL and triglycerides.

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

Total cholesterol is reported in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and compared with the lab’s reference range 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

Total cholesterol is one part of heart risk, so review it with a healthcare provider along with your HDL, triglycerides, 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.

Total cholesterol is the sum of cholesterol carried in LDL, HDL, and other lipoproteins, such as VLDL. Because it adds the so-⁠called good and bad fractions together, two people with the same total can have quite different risk. That is why it is read with HDL and triglycerides.

Fasting is preferred. The lab asks for a fast of 9 to 12 hours when total cholesterol is drawn with a separate triglyceride test, so fasting keeps your results comparable if you add one. Water is fine.

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

Thyroid and liver conditions can affect cholesterol, along with inherited lipid disorders. Diet, activity, and family history play a part too. A healthcare provider can help you understand what is behind your number and whether other tests would help.

It does not show how your cholesterol is split between HDL and LDL, or how many cholesterol-⁠carrying particles you have. It 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.