Healthy cholesterol levels in Canada (mmol/L): what counts as high depends on your heart risk

Healthy cholesterol levels in Canada are total cholesterol under 5.2 mmol/L, triglycerides under 1.7 mmol/L and HDL of at least 1.0 mmol/L for men or 1.3 mmol/L for women, while a healthy LDL depends on your heart risk.

LDL is the number doctors act on most, and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) judges it against your 10-year risk of heart disease or stroke. Numia Health, a physician-ordered, at-home blood testing service in Greater Vancouver, measures LDL along with apoB and Lp(a).

Why know your numbers if you feel fine? Because plaque, the fatty build-up behind most heart attacks, can start forming in your teens and grow silently for decades (Strong et al., 1999). In a Spanish study of 1,779 adults around age 45 with no standard risk factors, half already had plaque or calcium in their arteries, and higher LDL, even at levels considered normal, went with more of it (Fernández-Friera et al., 2017). A baseline shows where you stand, and retests show which way you're heading.

What cholesterol level is considered high in Canada?

Under the CCS guideline, a statin is indicated at low risk (under 10%) when LDL is 5.0 mmol/L or more. At intermediate risk (10% to 19.9%), the line drops to 3.5 mmol/L, and at high risk (20% or more) a statin is generally recommended at any level. Treatment decisions are yours and your physician's.

Here's where each line sits:

Why add apoB and Lp(a) to a standard panel?

LDL-C estimates how much cholesterol your LDL particles carry. ApoB counts the particles themselves, since each harmful particle carries one apoB. When triglycerides are above 1.5 mmol/L, LDL-C can underestimate risk, so the CCS prefers apoB or non-HDL-C (here's why).

Lp(a), or lipoprotein(a), is mostly inherited and stays fairly stable through life, so the CCS recommends measuring it once as part of your first lipid screen. Numia's Cardiac panel includes both (how Lp(a) testing works).

Where does Numia fit?

Numia Health brings the usual steps (an appointment, a lab visit, a wait, another appointment for results) into one place. A licensed Canadian physician approves your requisition online in about three minutes, and a clinician comes to your home in Greater Vancouver for a 10-minute morning draw. The Cardiac / Inflammatory panel measures total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, VLDL, apoB, Lp(a) and hs-CRP (best read as a trend). Plain-English results reach the Numia app in 7 days, where the Numia Companion, an AI that has read them, answers questions. Out-of-range results are physician-reviewed with next steps, and an optional wellness consultation is available. Numia is an HSA-eligible service.

Frequently asked questions

What is a normal cholesterol level in Canada in mmol/L?

For most adults, total cholesterol under 5.2 mmol/L, triglycerides under 1.7 and HDL of at least 1.0 (men) or 1.3 (women). LDL is judged against your heart risk; Numia's Cardiac panel reports it alongside apoB and Lp(a).

What are the Canadian Cardiovascular Society cholesterol targets in mmol/L?

Since 2021, the CCS uses thresholds, not targets. With heart disease, treatment is stepped up if LDL stays at 1.8 mmol/L or more on a statin (apoB 0.7 g/L, non-HDL 2.4 mmol/L). For other statin-indicated conditions, it's above 2.0 mmol/L.

What is a good LDL cholesterol level in Canada?

HealthLink BC's ideal is under 2.6 mmol/L, or under 2.0 at high risk. The CCS's point for considering a statin is higher when your risk is low. With Numia, each result sits in the app, so you can track the trend.