Cholesterol - the good, the bad and the combined - is essential for our overall health.
It plays a key role in digesting fatty foods, making vitamin D and producing hormones amongst other things. But in too high quantities, it can become a serious risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and stroke. Yet the NHS estimates that almost 60 per cent of adults in the UK have high cholesterol and as it’s mostly without symptoms, many of those people don’t know. If you’re aged over 40, your GP can check cholesterol with a simple blood test, but at-home testing kits that reveal results in minutes or those where blood is collected in a vial and mailed off to be professionally lab-tested offer a convenient alternative.
What is cholesterol?
“Cholesterol is a fatty substance and essential component of our cell membranes,” explains Gail Madelena, Fertility, Hormone & Pregnancy Nutritional Therapist at The Natural Balance. “It is carried through the bloodstream by lipoproteins, which are classified into two main types: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL, often referred to as bad cholesterol, can build up on the walls of arteries, forming plaque that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. HDL, or good cholesterol, helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream, transporting it to the liver for elimination. Total cholesterol is a combination of both LDL and HDL.”
Our liver naturally produces all the cholesterol, including triglycerides, we need. But it’s also found in our diet, particularly food from animals, including eggs, red meat, shellfish and full-fat dairy products, which is why they are usually first to be reduced when high cholesterol levels are detected.
Who might want to try an at-home cholesterol test?
DIY cholesterol tests can be a quick and easy option for people who want to monitor their heart health without visiting a doctor, especially over a period of time if you want to repeat the test and build up a picture of your cholesterol health. “At-home testing may be particularly helpful for those with a family history of high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease, people managing existing conditions like diabetes or hypertension, or anyone looking to track the impact of lifestyle changes such as diet or exercise,” suggests Madelena. “These tests can provide a snapshot of cholesterol levels between routine check-ups, offering an early indication of potential concerns.”
What effects does a combined high cholesterol have on the body?
“Maintaining a healthy balance between LDL and HDL is essential, as high levels of LDL or low levels of HDL can negatively impact cardiovascular health,” advises Madelena. “While consuming foods high in cholesterol can be part of a healthy diet, eating them in excess, especially alongside high levels of saturated and trans fats, can raise cholesterol levels in the blood. A lipid panel blood test is typically used to measure these levels and assess overall risk.”
If your test results show your cholesterol levels are elevated, make an appointment with your healthcare professional. “They will be able to provide guidance on how to manage this and identify any underlying factors,” she adds. “They may suggest medication to control it but you can also review your lifestyle to address things like diet and exercise, which can be effective tools to naturally lower cholesterol.”
Tips for easy blood testing
Each blood test is done using a lancet that pricks your finger to cause bleeding. The tip of your ring finger on your non-dominant hand is the recommended place to prick. But each test differs so read the instructions carefully in advance and try these tips to make collection easier:
Shop the best self-screening kits for cholesterol testing below
Thriva Complete Cholesterol Blood Test
Slick and modern, Thriva offers a customised way to monitor your health over time, using readings and science-based guidance to track your progress. You can use their online questionnaire that runs through diet, activity and family history to recommend a personalised selection of tests, or opt for a single, comprehensive test, such as this cardiovascular health screening one.
It covers 22 biomarkers, ranging from a thorough lipid profile of cholesterol levels to liver and diabetes testing, which all play a crucial part in heart health. Blood is taken using their clever autodraw device, which sticks to the upper arm and makes a tiny cut allowing your sample to be collected into vials, making it much easier than the fingerprick method.
The doctor-analysed report available on their website and app within 48 hours breaks down your results for each biomarker, with in-depth explanations on each, how they compare to the normal range, plus advice on improving any abnormal readings. If you repeat the tests later, you can clearly compare them to track improvements using their trend charts and there’s also an option to upload results from other tests that aren’t via Thriva, so you have a full picture of your self-screening health results in one place.
There’s also a comprehensive Health Hub library packed with useful information covering everything from the benefits of health tracking to best foods to lower cholesterol.
Buy now £118.00, Thriva
Holland & Barrett H&B&ME Cholesterol Blood Test
The H&B&Me app where you’ll find your results within 48 hours makes this self-screening test one of the most hi-tech to use and easy to navigate. One vial of blood is tested for seven biomarkers, including good and bad cholesterol, plus the percentage of each that makes up your total cholesterol levels. Your result for each is shown pinpointed on a sliding scale from normal to high, with a short explanatory note underneath.
You’ll also find an in-depth analysis of the test written by a doctor, with a straightforward interpretation of results and useful advice on lifestyle changes or if any should be investigated further by your doctor. You can also use the app to download your report, book a free follow-up call with a health advisor, or schedule a video call with a GP for a fee.
It also allows you to buy a new test if you want to monitor your cholesterol levels over time and have the results stored together in the same handy place for comparison.
Buy now £39.00, Holland & Barrett
Boots Pharmaceuticals Cholesterol Home Test
You’ll be able to read the results of this simple Boots DIY blood test after three minutes, as a colour-coded card reveals the approximate amount of total cholesterol in your blood. The test works by activating a dye that reacts to specific enzymes in the blood, with just a single big drop needed, drawn via a fingertip prick using the lancet found in the kit.
After a 12-fasting period, allow blood to fall onto the circle outlined on the test card and wait exactly three minutes – test readings can be too high if you wait longer, or lower if you look for results too early. Slide the coloured card insert out until it matches the shade the test area has become, then flip over and the amount of total cholesterol detected in your blood is shown. You’ll find the guide to what normal and high amounts are in the detailed instructions.
Buy now £13.50, Boots
Newfoundland Total Cholesterol Test
Said to be over 96 per cent accurate, this Newfoundland self-screening test only takes two minutes to measure your total cholesterol level and doesn’t require you to fast first. The kit contains a clever little capillary tube which automatically sucks up the blood from your fingertip after you’ve pricked it with the lancet, drawing up enough to conduct the test without any risk of spilling or trying to squeeze out too much.
Drop all the blood from the tube onto the testing card, covering the entire area, then wait for two minutes as the enzymes in your sample cause a chemical reaction that causes the card to change colour. You can then match the colour of the test area to one of five shades that denote the amount of total cholesterol in your blood. Each amount is accompanied by a helpful smiley (or not so smiley) face for clarity.
Buy now £13.00, Tesco
SELFCheck Cholesterol Level Test
SELFCheck Cholesterol Level Test is a quick and easy way to keep a regular check on your total cholesterol level from the comfort and convenience of your own home. The kit contains two pinprick lancets as well as the sliding test card, while the detailed instructions include advice on next steps if the test shows your cholesterol reading to be above the normal range, plus NHS websites that provide more in-depth information on guidance around cardiovascular health and testing.
Forgo food and fluids for twelve hours then use the lancet to draw a large drop of blood from your fingertip, letting it fall directly onto the test area. Wait exactly three minutes for the most accurate reading, then compare the new shade of the test area to the sliding colour scale on the flip side of the test and compare your result to the outlined ranges of what are normal and high readings.
Buy now £14.99, Superdrug
London Health Company Heart Health Test Kit
This test from London Health Company examines four biomarkers: HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol, with results emailed back within three days of your blood sample being received by the company’s in-house labs. As keeping this self-screening blood test affordable is a priority, the report you’ll receive is a data readout of your measurements alongside the optimal ranges, rather than a detailed analysis by doctors.
However, if any of your results are outside of that regular range, there are notes that explain a little more about what that could mean for you. So while the report is scaled back, it’s a purse-friendly way of monitoring your cholesterol levels over time and also ideal to take to your GP when you feel necessary. Their website is also rich with health information such as so there are plenty of resources to hand if you want to delve deeper into understanding cholesterol and lipid profiles.
Buy now £25.00, Amazon
Monitor My Health Total Cholesterol Test
Run by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, using spare capacity at their laboratories without impacting services and with all profits going back into NHS, Monitor My Health offers safe, reliable and cutting-edge tests spanning diabetes to heart health.
This test looks at your lipid profiles for total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL. An illustrated online video clearly explains the process for collecting and sending a vial of blood, making it pretty idiot-proof, while also the site has a fantastic Q&A packed with useful information, including different types of cholesterol and their function.
Fasting for eight hours is recommended but isn’t necessary (it may only have a small effect on the amount of triglycerides in your blood) and you’ll receive an email when results are ready on your personal dashboard area of their site, between one and three days after the labs receive the sample.
For each of the four types of cholesterol tested, you’ll see your specific result on a chart scaled from normal to high, followed by personalised comments on what your reading means as well as an overview of your complete results. And if you do happen to send in blood that can’t be analysed due to burst cells, for example, they will provide a replacement kit for free.
Buy now £29.00, Monitor My Health
Verdict
It may be the most expensive here but Thriva Complete Cholesterol Blood Test is a one-stop shop for in-depth, reliable testing and advice when it comes to keeping track of your cholesterol. Fantastically detailed with results presented in an instantly understandable way, the doctor’s notes give a deeper insight into each biomarker tested and its role in your overall health.
As the test looks beyond just cholesterol levels to give a broader, more balanced picture of your heart health and the other factors that play a crucial part alongside cholesterol, it’s a worthwhile investment for monitoring and improving your health both as a current snapshot and in the future.
The autodraw device for collecting blood is also a smart feature – I found being able to gently walk around while it was taking my sample made the blood flow easier and faster than standing still when drawing it out from my fingertips.
