HDL cholesterol

Higher HDL levels are associated with lower cardiovascular risk because HDL helps prevent plaque buildup in arteries. Lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, healthy fats (like those from olive oil, nuts, and fatty fish), avoiding smoking, moderate alcohol intake, and maintaining a healthy weight can increase HDL. Unlike medications that lower 'bad' cholesterol, lifestyle changes are the primary way to raise HDL.

Most adults benefit from checking HDL once a year as part of a lipid panel. After a sustained lifestyle change like more aerobic activity, weight loss, better diet, or quitting smoking, retest at three to six months.

At baseline / for screening: Once every 12 months from age 30, alongside the rest of your lipid panel. Earlier and more frequent if you have a family history of early cardiovascular disease, elevated Lp(a), or known cardiovascular risk factors.

When monitoring an intervention or change: Retest 3 to 6 months after a sustained lifestyle change, such as regular aerobic exercise, meaningful weight loss, quitting smoking, or shifting toward unsaturated fats. HDL moves more slowly than LDL or ApoB, and isn't a direct target of standard cholesterol medications. Changes typically reflect lifestyle rather than drug effects.

Note: Acute illness and infection lower HDL temporarily. Wait 4 to 6 weeks after recovery before reading the next result; in pregnancy, HDL fluctuates throughout, so allow 8 to 12 weeks postpartum to read your non-pregnant baseline.