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🩸 Heart Health
Blood Test Unit Converter: mmol/L to mg/dL
Convert cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, HbA1c and more between mmol/L and mg/dL, both directions. With conversion factors, reference ranges and the formulas.
Updated: August 24, 2026 · 🔒 Your data never leaves your browser
To convert cholesterol and other lipids from mmol/L to mg/dL, multiply by 38.67; to go back, divide. For example, 5.09 mmol/L × 38.67 ≈ 196.8 mg/dL. Glucose uses a factor of 18.02 and triglycerides 88.57. The units differ because Europe and most of the world report molar concentration (mmol/L) while the US uses mass concentration (mg/dL).
5.20 mmol/L equals 201.1 mg/dL
🎯 Reference range
below 5.20 mmol/L · below 201.1 mg/dL
Desirable is below 5.2 mmol/L (200 mg/dL). Targets are individual and depend on cardiovascular risk.
An adult reference, not a diagnosis: exact cut-offs vary by lab, sex and age.
Unit conversion is arithmetic and does not replace a clinician's reading. Lab reference ranges differ; compare your result with the reference values printed on your own report.
How the conversion works
The difference between mmol/L and mg/dL is not in the test but in what is being counted. mmol/L is molar concentration: how many molecules of a substance are in a litre. mg/dL is mass concentration: how many milligrams are in a decilitre. You convert between them using the molar mass of the substance.
The conversion factor equals molar mass ÷ 10, which is where the familiar numbers come from:
| Marker | mmol/L → mg/dL | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol, LDL, HDL | × 38.67 | 5.09 → 196.8 |
| Triglycerides | × 88.57 | 1.7 → 150.6 |
| Glucose | × 18.02 | 5.5 → 99 |
| Uric acid (µmol/L) | ÷ 59.48 | 360 → 6.1 |
| Creatinine (µmol/L) | ÷ 88.42 | 80 → 0.90 |
Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol share one factor — it is the same molecule, differing only in the lipoprotein fraction it is measured in.
Cholesterol: the most common conversion
This is where people most often stumble when comparing their result with foreign reference ranges. Benchmarks for total cholesterol:
| Category | mmol/L | mg/dL |
|---|---|---|
| Desirable | below 5.2 | below 200 |
| Borderline | 5.2 – 6.2 | 200 – 239 |
| High | 6.2 and above | 240 and above |
But total cholesterol is a blunt number. What to do next depends on LDL, HDL and your overall risk.
Читайте также: Cholesterol Explained: What LDL and HDL Numbers Mean
Glucose and HbA1c
Glucose uses a factor of 18.02. Fasting thresholds: normal 3.9–5.5 mmol/L (70–99 mg/dL), prediabetes 5.6–6.9, diabetes 7.0 and above on two tests.
HbA1c is a special case: it is not mmol/L and mg/dL but percent (NGSP) and mmol/mol (IFCC). When you select HbA1c, the converter also shows eAG — the ~3-month average glucose your percentage corresponds to.
Читайте также: Health Check-ups by Age: What to Test and When
One caveat
Unit conversion is arithmetic. It does not turn a number into a diagnosis or replace a clinician's reading. Lab reference ranges differ slightly, so always compare your result with the reference values printed on your own report — they are calibrated to that lab's method.
FAQ
How do I convert cholesterol from mmol/L to mg/dL?+
Multiply the mmol/L value by 38.67 to get mg/dL. To reverse it, divide mg/dL by 38.67. The same factor works for total, LDL and HDL cholesterol because it is the same molecule. Example: 5.09 mmol/L ≈ 196.8 mg/dL; 5.2 mmol/L ≈ 201 mg/dL.
What is the conversion factor for glucose?+
18.02. Glucose from mmol/L to mg/dL: multiply by 18.02; to reverse, divide. For example, 5.5 mmol/L ≈ 99 mg/dL and 100 mg/dL ≈ 5.55 mmol/L. The factor is the molar mass of glucose (180.16 g/mol) divided by 10.
And for triglycerides?+
88.57. Triglyceride molecules are larger than cholesterol, so the factor is larger too: 1.7 mmol/L ≈ 150 mg/dL. Note that triglycerides should be measured fasting — eating beforehand inflates the value.
Why does the US use mg/dL and Europe mmol/L?+
They are two ways to express concentration. mmol/L (molar) counts molecules and belongs to the SI system used by Europe and most of the world. mg/dL (mass) counts the weight of substance per volume and persists in the US. The test itself is identical — only the unit on the report differs.
How are HbA1c percent and mmol/mol related?+
They are two scales for glycated haemoglobin: % (NGSP/DCCT, the familiar one) and mmol/mol (IFCC, the lab standard). The formula is % = mmol/mol ÷ 10.929 + 2.15. Normal is below 5.7% (39 mmol/mol); 5.7–6.4% is prediabetes; 6.5% and above is diabetes.
What is eAG?+
Estimated average glucose — the ~3-month average glucose your HbA1c corresponds to. The ADAG formula: eAG (mg/dL) = 28.7 × HbA1c(%) − 46.7. For example, an HbA1c of 7% ≈ 8.6 mmol/L (154 mg/dL) average glucose. The converter shows eAG automatically when you pick HbA1c.
References
- 1.Rifai N, et al. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics — SI unit conversion factors
- 2.NGSP. IFCC-NGSP Master Equation: HbA1c(%) = 0.09148 × IFCC + 2.152
- 3.Nathan DM, et al. Translating the A1C Assay Into Estimated Average Glucose Values (ADAG). Diabetes Care, 2008
- 4.Mach F, et al. 2019 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias. Eur Heart J, 2020
- 5.American Diabetes Association. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes: Standards of Care in Diabetes
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