what should the normal total cholesterol be
Total cholesterol measurements in women become a major heart-disease risk factor after menopause because their average total cholesterol leaps from 194 mg/dL when they're 40 to 49 years old to 219 mg/dL when they're 50 to 59. Total cholesterol above 200 mg/dL is a risk factor, the NCEP reports. Men's average total cholesterol is 205 mg/dL when they're 40 to 49 and 208 mg/dL when they're 50 and above. Below age 40, men's average total cholesterol is 185 mg/dL but for women it is 183 mg/dL.