Preval HealthFree Tool
LDL cholesterol calculator
This free LDL calculator estimates your LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and non-HDL cholesterol from three numbers on your lipid panel: total cholesterol, HDL and triglycerides. It uses the Friedewald formula, the classic method many labs use, and works when triglycerides are under 400 mg/dL.
Enter values from a standard lipid panel. The calculator uses the Friedewald formula (LDL-C = Total − HDL-C − Triglycerides ÷ 5), the classic calculation many labs use. It loses accuracy when triglycerides reach 400 mg/dL or higher.
Calculated LDL-C
120 mg/dL
Near optimal
Non-HDL Cholesterol
150 mg/dL
Near optimal
Total cholesterol minus HDL. Stays accurate even when triglycerides are too high for the LDL-C formula above.
How do you calculate LDL cholesterol?
Subtract HDL and one fifth of your triglycerides from your total cholesterol: LDL-C = total cholesterol − HDL-C − (triglycerides ÷ 5), all in mg/dL. For example, a total of 200, HDL of 50 and triglycerides of 150 gives an LDL-C of 120 mg/dL. Non-HDL cholesterol equals total cholesterol minus HDL, 150 mg/dL in that example.
What do I do if my LDL is high?
Compare it with the goal for your risk, then work on it with food, activity and, when needed, medicine. Our guide on how to lower LDL covers what each change is worth. LDL alone misses some risk. ApoB and Lp(a) add a lot, and advanced lipid testing measures both.
Common questions
How is LDL cholesterol calculated on a standard lipid panel?
Most labs don't measure LDL-C directly. They measure total cholesterol, HDL-C, and triglycerides, then calculate LDL-C. The classic method is the Friedewald formula: LDL-C = Total Cholesterol − HDL-C − (Triglycerides ÷ 5), in mg/dL. This calculator uses that formula.
What should my LDL cholesterol be?
It depends on your risk. Under the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline, most adults aim for an LDL-C below 100 mg/dL, people at high risk or with heart disease aim below 70, and those at very high risk aim below 55. A clinician can tell you which goal fits you.
Why might my lab's LDL differ from this calculator?
Many labs now use newer equations, such as Martin-Hopkins or the NIH (Sampson) equation, which are more accurate than Friedewald when LDL is low or triglycerides are high. Some labs also measure LDL-C directly. Small differences are normal; go with your lab report.
Why can't LDL-C be calculated when triglycerides are high?
The Friedewald formula assumes a fairly fixed relationship between triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol. That assumption breaks down above 400 mg/dL, and the calculated LDL-C becomes unreliable. Above that level, a lab needs to measure LDL-C directly, or use non-HDL cholesterol instead.
What is non-HDL cholesterol, and why does it matter?
Non-HDL cholesterol equals total cholesterol minus HDL. It captures LDL plus all the other potentially harmful particles (VLDL, remnant lipoproteins) in one number, and unlike calculated LDL-C, it stays accurate even at high triglyceride levels. Many guidelines now use non-HDL cholesterol alongside or instead of LDL-C for this reason.
Is this calculator a substitute for a lab test?
No. This tool estimates LDL-C and non-HDL cholesterol from values already on your lab report, for educational use. It doesn't replace a blood test, a directly measured LDL-C, or a conversation with a clinician about what your numbers mean for you.
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