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LDL and HDL Numbers: What the CDC Calls Optimal
LDL and HDL numbers are two lines on your cholesterol panel, and the CDC lists optimal levels of about 100 mg/dL for LDL and at least 40 mg/dL (men) or 50 mg/dL (women) for HDL. Total cholesterol is about 150 and triglycerides are under 150. Only a blood test from your care team shows your own numbers.
Written by the Melonex numbers deskUpdated · 4 min read
01The targets
What are optimal LDL and HDL numbers?
The CDC lists optimal LDL at about 100 mg/dL and HDL at least 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made by your liver (CDC, About cholesterol). Your panel splits it into parts.
LDL is the "bad" kind. High LDL can lead to plaque in the arteries. HDL is the "good" kind, and high HDL can lower risk (CDC, About cholesterol).
| Measure | Optimal | Direction you want |
|---|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | about 150 | Lower |
| LDL ("bad") | about 100 | Lower |
| HDL ("good"), men | at least 40 | Higher |
| HDL ("good"), women | at least 50 | Higher |
| Triglycerides | under 150 | Lower |
02The test
How do you find out your own cholesterol numbers?
Ask your care team for a lipid panel, a blood test that measures cholesterol and triglycerides.
The CDC says the only way to know whether cholesterol is high is a check by your health care team. Ask how often you should be screened (CDC, About cholesterol).
No home habit or capsule can stand in for the test. You cannot judge cholesterol by how you feel, and a cuff does not read it.
Blood pressure is a separate number with its own checks. See the blood pressure numbers guide for those categories.
- Ask what to do before the draw, such as fasting
- Get the printed results, not just a verbal summary
- Write LDL, HDL and triglycerides in one place
03Why it matters
Why do cholesterol numbers matter for your heart?
High blood cholesterol is one of three key risk factors for heart disease, with high blood pressure and smoking.
The CDC counts those three as the key risk factors (CDC, Heart disease facts). In 2023, 919,032 people in the U.S. died from cardiovascular disease, about one in every three deaths (CDC, Heart disease facts).
A number on a lab sheet is a risk signal, not a verdict. Your clinician looks at it with age, blood pressure, smoking and family history.
Keep a simple page with the date, LDL, HDL and triglycerides from each lab. Two lines tell you more than one. Put your cuff log beside it; see how to read it in our post on the best time to check blood pressure.
04A day of habits
What does a heart-friendly day look like?
A heart-friendly day has regular meals, a cuff check, a walk, calm evenings and enough sleep.
The CDC asks adults for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week plus muscle-strengthening on at least 2 days (CDC, Adult activity guidelines). Sleep for adults 18 to 60 is 7 or more hours (CDC, About sleep).
The dial below sketches one day. It is a routine, not a cholesterol plan. The capsule step is the Melonex label's own direction: one capsule with 8 oz. of water.
- Morning, about 8:00
One capsule with an 8 oz glass of water, as the label says. No time is printed; tie it to breakfast so it is hard to skip. Prescribed medicine keeps its own schedule.
- Before breakfast: the cuff
Sit 5 minutes, arm at heart level, two readings one minute apart, and write them down (AHA).
- A walk after work
Adults need 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (CDC): about 30 minutes, five days.
- Night, 7 or more hours
CDC: adults 18-60 need 7 or more hours; enough sleep helps lower the risk of high blood pressure.
Cuff steps from the American Heart Association (AHA, Home blood pressure monitoring); activity (CDC, Adult activity guidelines) and sleep (CDC, About sleep) from the CDC. The capsule time is only a suggestion, so go by your label.
Stress and sleep both touch your numbers; read our post on stress and blood pressure.
05Supplements
Does Melonex say anything about cholesterol?
No. The Melonex label makes no cholesterol statement and lists no cholesterol-related ingredient.
It lists a 500 mg blend of L-citrulline DL-malate, L-arginine AKG and L-arginine HCL. That is all three named ingredients. Our cholesterol supplements guide compares what other products claim.
Keep taking prescribed medicine, including any cholesterol medicine, and tell your doctor about every supplement you use.
Prices listed on the seller's order page; confirm at checkout. The 2-bottle kit costs $158, with $9.99 shipping. Ask your doctor about your medicines first. 60-day money-back guarantee per the seller.
Melonex is not a treatment; it is a dietary supplement. Ask your doctor or pharmacist first if you take blood-pressure medicine, nitrates for chest pain, an erectile-dysfunction drug such as sildenafil or tadalafil, a potassium-sparing diuretic (amiloride, spironolactone, triamterene), a blood thinner, or diabetes medicine, or if you have had a recent heart attack. Arginine and citrulline can add to these. Keep taking prescribed medicine. See side effects and interactions.
06FAQ
Melonex questions people ask
What is a good LDL number?
The CDC lists optimal LDL at about 100 mg/dL. Lower is better for LDL. Your doctor may set a different goal based on your risk, so use the CDC figure as a reference and ask what your target is.
What is a good HDL number for women and men?
The CDC lists HDL of at least 50 mg/dL for women and at least 40 mg/dL for men as optimal. Higher HDL can lower risk. Ask your clinician how to read your own result.
Are LDL and HDL numbers the same as total cholesterol?
No. Total cholesterol is the whole count, about 150 mg/dL optimal per the CDC. LDL and HDL are two parts of it, and triglycerides are a separate fat in the blood measured on the same panel.
How often should you check your cholesterol?
The CDC does not give one schedule; it says to ask your health care team how often you should be screened. Your age, family history and other risks decide it. A lipid panel is the usual test.
07Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the seller's materials and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, AHA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read how we write and how we check reviews. This website is run by Melonexheart, which describes itself as a U.S. authorized Melonex merchant. It is not the manufacturer or the label's distributor, and we cannot independently verify the 'authorized' status. We are paid when you buy through our order links.
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