Cholesterol blood test for your blood lipids

Your blood lipids say something about how your body handles fats. A cholesterol blood test brings your HDL, your LDL and your triglycerides together in one overview.

For active people, this can be interesting, because your lifestyle, your nutrition and your training can all play a part in your lipid values. By measuring these numbers, you can build a picture of where your values stand and follow how they develop over time.

This way you work with data instead of assumptions, which fits an approach where you want to understand and optimise your body.

A cholesterol blood test may suit people who want to follow their blood lipids. It can be relevant for:

• Athletes and active people who want insight into their HDL, LDL and triglycerides
• People who have adjusted their diet and want to follow the effect on their lipids
• People with a family history of elevated cholesterol who want to stay informed
• People who want to keep an eye on their blood lipids periodically
• People who want to combine this basic panel with a broader blood test later

This panel measures three blood values around your blood lipids:

• HDL Cholesterol is often called the favourable cholesterol.
• LDL Cholesterol may, at high levels, be associated with cardiovascular disease.
• Triglycerides are fats in your blood that say something about your fat metabolism.

Together these values give you a view of your lipid profile.

The results can show you how your blood lipids compare to the reference ranges. A high LDL or high triglycerides may be associated with cardiovascular risk, while your HDL is often looked at alongside them.

For active people, this insight can help you see how your lifestyle relates to your lipid values. Keep in mind that a single value is not a diagnosis: your lipid profile only gains meaning in combination with your situation and your history.

For this blood test, a staff member draws a small tube of blood at a certified location. You can choose from more than 750 collection sites in the Netherlands, so there is almost always a location near you.

You need little for this, apart from your appointment confirmation and a valid ID. The draw itself usually takes only a few minutes.

A cholesterol blood test can be useful at different moments. Some people choose to test:

• When they have changed their diet and want to follow the effect on their lipids
• When they want insight into their cardiovascular markers
• When their lipid values were deviating before and they want to keep following them
• When they want to keep an eye on their blood lipids periodically
• When they want to start with a basic panel before expanding

What the results mean depends on your personal situation. Each value is compared to a reference range, but a value outside that range does not automatically mean something is wrong.

With a lipid panel, a doctor often looks at your HDL, LDL and triglycerides together, rather than at one value on its own. Always discuss any deviating values with your GP, so you know what the results may mean for you personally.

For your lipid values, fasting before the draw can be helpful. Many people choose to have their blood drawn in the morning, without having eaten beforehand.

Drink enough water on the day of the draw. If you trained intensively shortly before, keep that in mind, as heavy exertion can temporarily affect some values. If in doubt, you can discuss your situation with your GP.

You receive your results digitally in your account, usually within a few working days. For each value, you can see whether it falls within the reference range. You can then share your results with your own GP.

Every blood test result includes a professional assessment from a BIG-registered doctor. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.