HDL Cholesterol (HDL)
The protective cholesterol fraction, and a routine input to cardiovascular risk.
Consider this test if:
- Setting a baseline or doing the routine lipid check recommended every 4 to 6 years
- Low HDL has shown up before, often alongside high triglycerides or insulin resistance
- Tracking how diet, exercise, weight loss, or quitting smoking is shifting your lipids
- A family history of early heart disease makes cardiovascular risk worth monitoring
- Following up on a metabolic syndrome or prediabetes workup
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 1-2 days · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
Fasting for 8 to 12 hours is commonly requested, mainly because HDL is usually drawn with triglycerides, which are fasting-sensitive. HDL itself changes little with a recent meal. Recent illness, pregnancy, and certain medications can shift levels, so retest when stable for a representative result.
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What this test is for
HDL cholesterol measures the cholesterol carried by high-density lipoproteins, the particles that move cholesterol away from artery walls and back to the liver. Higher HDL generally tracks with lower cardiovascular risk, while low HDL is common in metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and is often paired with high triglycerides. It is one of the standard components used to estimate heart disease risk and to compute ratios like total cholesterol to HDL. Note that very high HDL does not keep adding protection, so this number is best read as part of a full lipid picture rather than maximized on its own.
This is the isolated HDL-C measurement. If you want LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol together, the Lipid Panel is the better default; for atherogenic particle count, the Extended Lipid Panel with ApoB adds risk information HDL alone does not capture.
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 1-2 days
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
Everything your health needs,
in one membership
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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Continuous tracking, all in one place
Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
Mito Membership
$9 /mo
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Without membership
$0
pay as you go
At-cost pricing on labs, scans, and more
Priority turnaround on your results
On-demand clinician consults when you need guidance
Personalized action plans across supplements, exercise, nutrition, and sleep
AI health coaching to help you act on your results
Year-round medical support, with in-chat clinician escalation
All your health records in one personal vault, with trends and biological age tracking
Early access to new diagnostics and product releases
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
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