Cholesterol

[Dan9108]

I'm 16, 5'8 and I weigh 150. I have been lifting weights actively for over a year now and I never eat out and everything I do eat is good for you, my parents are health nuts, so everything I need is around the house. I recently gave blood and they tell me my blood type and my cholesterol. Now, I know that under 200 mg/dL is desirable, and mine was 174. But the thing is, is that my brother, who is never physically active, weighs 210 pounds (overweight) and eats out all the time, his cholesterol was 120. This got me thinking about HDL and LDL. I take fish oil two times a day, and it equals to about 2,400 mg per day, and I also take flax seed powder. I'm guessing that this would increase my HDL (good) and I run, eat healthy, and lift weights 3-4 times a week, so this would contribute to maintaining a low LDL.

I'm just a little paranoid about this whole cholesterol thing. Would I have to see my doctor and get a blood test to get my HDL and LDL levels measured?

Is 174 generally high for a 16 year old? I'm trying to keep the mindset that my HDL far surpasses my LDL, but I really want to get it tested.

EDIT: I read that you shouldn't eat 12 hours before a blood test, and that morning, around 2 or 3 hours before the blood was drawn I had a protein shake and a hardboiled egg. Yikes, I'm guessing that effected my cholesterol levels.

[Reko]

I'm no means an expert but I say 174 is fine. What is more important is the breakdown of HDL vs LDL, did you get that? Thats kind of the point of a fasting test, so they can be broken down. total cholesterol can be determined without fasting.

Hate to break it to you though, but your HDL probably doesn't surpass your LDL at all.
The last time I got mine read it was about ~160 LDL and ~60 HDL, ~220 total.

[Dan9108]

No, they didn't give me the breakdown. but I'm hoping that my HDL is above average and my LDL is lower than expected. It's just that I have been putting in tons of effort into what I eat and what I don't and then seeing my results versus my brothers is a downer. Eventually I'll get a breakdown, but I'll probably just have to see my doctor for that.

[SW]

The egg may well have thrown the test off man. Do not worry, you sound very healthy.

[Max Thunder]

Don't worry about stupid cholesterol numbers. They're just that, stupid numbers, and they mean nothing for a 16 years old.

In fact, a higher cholesterol level is wanted in a growing bodies. All your cells need cholesterol, especially the nervous system.