Tag Archives: niacin

Many things come with age. Unfortunately, some of those are narrowed arteries and high cholesterol. These days, being prescribed medication for high cholesterol is almost a given, maybe even a right of passage from middle age to senior citizen-hood. But let’s face it, no one likes to take medication and many people would like to try supplements and lifestyle changes before they jump on the prescription bandwagon.

So first, let’s define a few things. When you get a lipid panel here are things you will see and what your target numbers are:

• LDL = bad cholesterol Goal: 70-100 mg/dL

• HDL=good cholesterol Goal: Greater than 40 mg/dL for men, greater than 50 mg/dL for women

• Total cholesterol = combination of your LDL/HDL and other components Goal: Less than 200 mg/dL

• Triglycerides = Fat that your body stores Goal: Less than 150 mg/dL

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