What it measures
Your triglyceride level divided by your HDL cholesterol, worked out from those two results. Triglycerides are fats carried in the blood. HDL is the cholesterol carried back to the liver.
Why people test it
- Worked out from a standard cholesterol profile, with no extra sample needed.
- Sometimes read alongside glucose and insulin results as a sign of how the body handles insulin.
- Looked at by people tracking their cholesterol and triglyceride results over time.
- Anabolic steroids can lower HDL, which pushes this ratio up.
Typical range
Ranges vary by lab, method, age and sex, and your report shows the lab's own range where it gives one. A ratio worked out from US mg/dL figures is a little over twice the size of one from UK mmol/L figures, so the two are not comparable.
Finger-prick or vein?
A finger-prick sample is usually fine, as the lipid tests work on small samples. Providers offer both finger-prick kits and vein draws.
Triglycerides rise for some hours after a meal, so some providers ask for a fasting sample.