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At-home cholesterol tests provide convenient and accurate information about your lipid levels to help mange your health.
- Best for immediate results: CURO L7 Professional Grade Lipid Blood Cholesterol Test Kit | Skip to review
A home cholesterol test can provide clarity about your cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Knowing your numbers is a strong start, as it can be a catalyst for making healthy changes, such as exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet.
Read on to learn about the best at-home tests for checking cholesterol levels.
A note on price
General price ranges with dollar signs ($ to $$$) are indicated below.
Pricing guide:
- $ = under $100
- $$ = $100–$200
- $$$ = over $200
– LDL cholesterol
– HDL cholesterol
– triglycerides
– total triglycerides
– HDL (good)
cholesterol
– LDL (bad) cholesterol
– HDL percentage of total cholesterol
• tracks and stores data to follow your progress over time
– HDL cholesterol
– LDL cholesterol
– triglycerides
All of the at-home cholesterol tests on our list have been thoroughly vetted.
Here’s a look at some of the main factors we kept in mind during our search for the best:
- Accuracy: Results accuracy was our main concern. Taking a test that provides the wrong information is worse than taking no test at all. The tests on our list that offer lab results use
CLIA certified and ISO accredited labs to analyze results so that you can feel comfortable about accuracy. Some of the tests also offer access to a medical team to discuss your results and next steps. - Convenience: Some people prefer to read their test results immediately, while others don’t mind waiting for the lab. We chose a variety of test types, including some that get sent to a laboratory for analysis and some that are read by meters at home.
- Pricing: Our picks offer a range of prices to fit multiple budgets.
- Reviews: We also read online reviews to determine whether users find the tests easy to use and understand, and are accurate.
High cholesterol is common, affecting around 78 million adults in the U.S. Children can also have it:
Though anyone can have high cholesterol — regardless of age, gender, and ethnicity — those assigned male at birth at age 45 years or older and those assigned female at birth 55 years or older are considered at a higher risk.
Some other important
- family history of high cholesterol
- hypertension
- diabetes
- smoking
High cholesterol has no telltale symptoms. Without testing, you may not know you have this condition until you have a heart attack or stroke.
Home tests don’t take the place of a healthcare professional’s care. However, they can provide information about your
Here’s a brief breakdown of what’s measured when you take a cholesterol test.
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: This is the name for the “good” type of cholesterol. The healthy range is 40 to 60 mg/dL, but a higher number is considered best.
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: You should pay close attention to this measurement, as LDL is considered “bad cholesterol” thanks to its increased risk of heart attack and stroke. A healthy range here is a number lower than 100 mg/dL.
- Total cholesterol: This measurement includes your blood’s total amount of cholesterol. The healthy goal is less than 200 mg/dL.
- Triglycerides: Poor eating and drinking habits can lead to high triglyceride levels, which should be avoided, as high triglycerides boost the risk of heart disease. A healthy range is less than 150 mg/dL.
- Blood sugar: Some cholesterol tests also measure blood sugar. Normal blood sugar levels vary, as the numbers differ if you have diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the normal fasting blood sugar test
range is 99 mg/dL or below.
At-home cholesterol tests are not a substitute for medical care. If you have high cholesterol, talk with your healthcare professional. You may need a cholesterol-lowering medication, such as a statin. Statins work by blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver.
According to the FDA, at-home tests for cholesterol vary in accuracy from brand to brand. The FDA also states that tests that indicate traceability to a CDC program may, in some instances, provide more accurate results than other tests.
The best at-home tests for cholesterol will provide results that are about as accurate as testing received in a medical facility. However, it’s important to follow the test instructions exactly or your results may be skewed.
You can check your cholesterol level at home using a metered handheld device that offers instant results, or you can use a test kit that sends blood sample to a certified lab, and wait a few business days for results.
If you’re sending your sample to a laboratory for analysis, you’ll fill a small vial with blood and mail it in a biohazard bag enclosed in a return envelope.
If you’re using a metered test, you’ll place a droplet of blood directly on one or more test strips. The test strip is inserted into a meter that contains a computer chip. The computer in the meter analyzes the test strip and displays your results on a screen.
High cholesterol doesn’t usually come with symptoms. Instead, a few important risk factors can make someone more susceptible to having high cholesterol, including a family history of high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking.
Yes. While some at-home cholesterol tests are kits that come with the tools you need to prick your finger at home before sending your sample to a lab for analysis, others like the Curofit CURO L7 Professional Grade Testing Kit are battery-operated, handheld meters that allow you to receive fast test results at home.
High cholesterol is a common condition that can lead to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
At-home tests for high cholesterol can keep you informed about your cholesterol levels so you can monitor your progress over time.
At-home tests are about as accurate as laboratory tests done on blood samples your healthcare professional takes. However, at-home tests shouldn’t be used as a substitute for medical advice.
