Total Cholesterol Test

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance found in the blood and is needed to make cell walls, tissues, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acid. Cholesterol comes from internal and external sources. The liver is responsible for creating cholesterol within the body and it provides all that you need. The remainder of the cholesterol in your body comes from animal-based foods like meat, poultry, and dairy products. Too much cholesterol in the blood may clog blood vessels, which reduces the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and other organs. This may increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions.

Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream on particles made of protein and fat (lipoproteins). High-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are 2 types of lipoproteins. HDL is known as “good cholesterol” because it transports cholesterol away from cells and tissues to the liver, where it is eventually removed from the body. This helps lower blood cholesterol levels. LDL is known as “bad cholesterol” because it carries fatty deposits (plaques) toward the arteries. A high amount of LDL in the blood may cause cholesterol to accumulate in the vessel walls, resulting in plaque buildup and narrowing of the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Our Total Cholesterol Test combines your HDL and LDL levels, representing your total cholesterol number. This helps determine whether your cholesterol is elevated.

This test will only provide a value for Total Cholesterol and not individual values for LDL or HDL.

You must be 18 years of age or older to purchase a test on questhealth.com. This test requires specimen collection at a Quest Diagnostics location or through Quest Mobile™, a convenient option for in-home sample collection*. Collection not available in AK, AZ, or HI.

*Check your zip code here for service availability, not available in all locations.