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Blood test

Cholesterol test: the full lipid profile.

Not just total cholesterol but the full profile: LDL, HDL, ApoB, triglycerides and the ratios, with interpretation of what your values mean.

Test your heart health
No referral needed · €69 one-time
or : these 8 values plus 52 more, every year
8
values in the lipid profile
250+
draw locations in the Netherlands
<24h
results, in plain language
4.8 out of 5 stars from 80 reviews after the blood test
Analysis by accredited labs in the Netherlands
01 Inside

Which cholesterol values do we measure?

Total cholesterol is a coarse number, on its own it says little. The real lipid profile is the combination of LDL, HDL, ApoB, triglycerides and the ratios between them. All of those values are included by default in your annual blood test; below we explain each marker individually.

02 Frequency

How often should you measure your cholesterol?

If your values are stable and you have no elevated risk, it need not be often: Dutch GPs measure it every five years when the risk is raised. Adjusted your nutrition, training or supplements? A re-test after 8 to 12 weeks already shows clear movement, LDL and triglycerides respond quickly to lifestyle.

Some markers, like ApoB and Lp(a), are largely genetic and need less frequent repeats. They do give a crucial baseline of your cardiovascular risk.

03 Access

Where can I get my cholesterol measured?

With Optimize you book the appointment yourself and draw at one of the 250+ locations near you, without a doctor's referral. Your values appear in the Optimize app typically within 24 hours, with explanations per marker and context from your full blood work.

Every draw is fasted, only water from midnight, which also gives the most reliable triglycerides. Appointments are therefore in the morning, until 12:00, and the app shows how to prepare.

Markers explained

What does each cholesterol marker measure?

Eight values, each with a different meaning for your heart health, plus one hereditary add-on: Hereditary heart risk.

Total Cholesterol
Total cholesterol, written as TC on your results, is the sum of all the cholesterol in your blood: the LDL fraction, the HDL fraction and the cholesterol in the other lipoproteins. Read the total through its parts: LDL and non-HDL for your arteries, HDL and triglycerides for the pattern; the risk estimate uses total minus HDL.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol, written as LDL-C on your results and known as the 'bad' cholesterol, is the cholesterol carried through your blood inside LDL particles that can build up in the artery wall. Read LDL beside non-HDL, HDL and triglycerides and as a trend; a markedly high value from a young age can be inherited, and then lifestyle is the foundation and medication usually joins it.
HDL Cholesterol
HDL cholesterol, written as HDL-C on your results and known as the 'good' cholesterol, is the cholesterol carried back to the liver inside HDL particles. Read HDL beside LDL, triglycerides and non-HDL; in the risk estimate it counts through non-HDL, your total cholesterol minus your HDL.
ApoB
Apolipoprotein B, written as apoB on your results, is the structural protein sitting on every LDL, VLDL and Lp(a) particle, so that one measurement counts those particles rather than the cholesterol they carry. ApoB counts the particles that carry cholesterol into the artery wall and is therefore sharper than LDL with belly fat, insulin resistance and high triglycerides.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides, written as TG on your results, are the fats in which your blood carries energy and your body stores it; they respond strongly to what you eat, to alcohol and to your metabolism. Read them beside HDL and LDL, and note whether you were fasting, because they run higher after a meal.
LDL / HDL Ratio
The LDL/HDL ratio divides the cholesterol that enters your vessel wall by the cholesterol that leaves it again, and so sums up two sides of your lipid profile in one number. Lower is better, but the ratio does not say which of the two moved, and that is why you always read it beside LDL and HDL themselves.
TC/HDL ratio
The TC/HDL ratio divides your total cholesterol by your HDL, and so makes visible how your cholesterol is distributed: two people with the same total can have a quite different ratio. Below 5 is the target the one Dutch lab prints, and lower is better.
Triglycerides / HDL Ratio
The triglycerides/HDL ratio divides your triglycerides by your HDL, two numbers that move in opposite directions with belly fat and insulin resistance. The ratio is therefore a quick measure of the lipid pattern that goes with a deranged sugar metabolism, and it falls with losing weight, exercise and less sugar.
Lp(a)
Lipoprotein(a), written as Lp(a) on your results, is an LDL particle with an extra protein attached, and how much of it you have is set largely by your genes rather than by your lifestyle. Read your result beside the threshold in the same unit as your lab, and take a high Lp(a) as a reason to tackle LDL, blood pressure, weight and smoking more strictly.

add-on

Ready to get your cholesterol measured? Order the Heart health test on its own, or start a , where the full lipid profile is included.

Test your heart health
Standard cholesterol test vs Optimize

What you get that a standard cholesterol test misses.

Total cholesterol
LDL cholesterol
HDL cholesterol
Triglycerides
Apolipoprotein B (ApoB)
Cholesterol / HDL ratio
LDL / HDL ratio
Per-marker explanation
Every marker
Trend over time
Built in

Clarity on your heart and vascular health

Single Heart health test: eight values, no membership needed
Includes ApoB and all ratios
Track your values over the years
Total cholesterolLDL cholesterolHDL cholesterolApolipoprotein BTriglyceridesTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioLDL / HDL ratioGlucoseHemoglobin A1cC-reactive proteinALTASTGamma-glutamyltransferaseCreatinineeGFRTSHFree T4Total cholesterolLDL cholesterolHDL cholesterolApolipoprotein BTriglyceridesTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioLDL / HDL ratioGlucoseHemoglobin A1cC-reactive proteinALTASTGamma-glutamyltransferaseCreatinineeGFRTSHFree T4Total cholesterolLDL cholesterolHDL cholesterolApolipoprotein BTriglyceridesTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioLDL / HDL ratioGlucoseHemoglobin A1cC-reactive proteinALTASTGamma-glutamyltransferaseCreatinineeGFRTSHFree T4
Free T4TSHeGFRCreatinineGamma-glutamyltransferaseASTALTC-reactive proteinHemoglobin A1cGlucoseLDL / HDL ratioTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioTriglyceridesApolipoprotein BHDL cholesterolLDL cholesterolTotal cholesterolFree T4TSHeGFRCreatinineGamma-glutamyltransferaseASTALTC-reactive proteinHemoglobin A1cGlucoseLDL / HDL ratioTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioTriglyceridesApolipoprotein BHDL cholesterolLDL cholesterolTotal cholesterolFree T4TSHeGFRCreatinineGamma-glutamyltransferaseASTALTC-reactive proteinHemoglobin A1cGlucoseLDL / HDL ratioTotal cholesterol / HDL ratioTriglyceridesApolipoprotein BHDL cholesterolLDL cholesterolTotal cholesterol

How to get your cholesterol measured

Order the Heart health test

Eight cholesterol values in one draw, €69 one-time. Checkout takes two minutes, no referral needed.
CHOOSE YOUR PATH
Heart health€69 one-time
Core membership€365 a year

Want more than cholesterol?

Then pick the comprehensive test with 52 values, or the (€1 a day): the full lipid profile is in it every year by default, with your trends alongside.
CHOOSE YOUR TEST
Heart health€69 one-time
Comprehensive test52 values
Core membership60 values a year

Book your draw in the app

In the Optimize app, book an appointment at one of the 250+ locations. You draw fasted, in the morning: only water from midnight.
DRAW DAY
Fasted from midnight
WATER IS FINE
Blood draw
THU 18 SEP · 08:15 · 3 MIN

Understand your cholesterol values

See where each cholesterol marker stands against the lab's reference ranges, with explanations of what it means.
HEART HEALTH
Total cholesterol
5.3mmol/L
LDL cholesterol
3.3mmol/L
HDL cholesterol
1.45mmol/L
ApoB
0.96g/L

Track change over time

Re-test after 8 to 12 weeks to see how your values shift with your lifestyle.
IMPROVEMENTS
LDL cholesterol
HighNormal
Cholesterol / HDL ratio
HighNormal
RE-TEST: 2 DEC 2026
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The key things to know about cholesterol testing with Optimize.

Yes. The Heart health test measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, ApoB, triglycerides and the three ratios in one draw, without a membership and without a referral. If you have the , the same profile is in your annual blood test every year, no add-on needed.

Take control now.

Where to start

Heart health

€69one-off

One draw at a location near you, results explained in the app.

  • 8 blood values in one draw
  • Results within 24 hours, in plain language
  • No referral, no waiting list
  • 250+ draw locations in the Netherlands
  • Your trends on every retest, in the app
Test your heart health

No referral needed · Results within 24 hours

Rather measure continuously? Core membership (€1 a day)

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