Cholesterol Unit Converter: mg/dL to mmol/L

Cholesterol levels are reported in different units depending on the country: milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) in the US, and millimoles per liter (mmol/L) in many other countries. Understanding the conversion is essential when comparing your results to international guidelines or moving between healthcare systems.

The Formula

mmol/L = mg/dL × 0.0259
mg/dL = mmol/L × 38.67

The conversion factor 0.0259 comes from the molecular weight of cholesterol (386.65 g/mol) divided by 1,000 and then by 10 (to account for deciliters).

Worked Example

A US lab reports total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL. What is this in mmol/L?

mmol/L = 200 × 0.0259 = 5.18 mmol/L

Conversely, if a lab reports 5.2 mmol/L:

mg/dL = 5.2 × 38.67 = 201 mg/dL

Cholesterol Reference Ranges

The same cutoffs apply in both units when properly converted. A "desirable" level is below 200 mg/dL or below 5.2 mmol/L.

LDL and HDL Cholesterol

The same conversion applies to LDL (low-density lipoprotein, "bad cholesterol") and HDL (high-density lipoprotein, "good cholesterol"):

LDL targets (mg/dL → mmol/L):

• Optimal: < 100 (< 2.59)
• Near optimal: 100–129 (2.59–3.34)
• Borderline high: 130–159 (3.37–4.12)

HDL targets (higher is better):

• Low: < 40 men / < 50 women (< 1.04 / < 1.29)
• Good: ≥ 60 (≥ 1.55)

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are also reported in both units with the same conversion factor:

Triglycerides: < 150 mg/dL = < 1.7 mmol/L (normal)

Tips

When comparing your cholesterol results to guidelines, make sure you're using the right reference range for the unit reported. Some labs include both units on the report. If traveling or changing providers, note that the same number means something completely different — 5 mg/dL is dangerously low, while 5 mmol/L is fine.

Use our Cholesterol Unit Converter to convert between mg/dL and mmol/L instantly.