By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Laboratories report lipids in either milligrams per deciliter or millimoles per liter, and the two scales are not interchangeable without a conversion factor. This converter switches cholesterol and triglyceride values between mg/dL and mmol/L using the standard divisors for each molecule. Cholesterol and triglycerides use different factors because their molecular weights differ.
Convert cholesterol and triglyceride values between mg/dL and mmol/L.
Cholesterol: mmol/L = mg/dL ÷ 38.67 Triglycerides: mmol/L = mg/dL ÷ 88.57 Reverse: mg/dL = mmol/L × divisor
The 38.67 divisor applies to cholesterol fractions because it reflects the molecular weight of cholesterol. Triglycerides use 88.57. Using the wrong factor for triglycerides is a common error and produces a value roughly 2.3 times too high. Conversion does not change the clinical meaning of a result, only its units.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| value | The number you want to convert. |
| type | Cholesterol fraction or triglycerides; selects the divisor. |
| direction | Whether the input is in mg/dL or mmol/L. |
| divisor | 38.67 for cholesterol, 88.57 for triglycerides. |
200 ÷ 38.67 = 5.17 mmol/L for total cholesterol. 150 ÷ 88.57 = 1.69 mmol/L for triglycerides. Going the other way, 5 mmol/L of cholesterol is 5 × 38.67 = 193.35 mg/dL, while 2 mmol/L of triglycerides is 2 × 88.57 = 177.14 mg/dL. Notice how much further the triglyceride value moves for the same mmol/L change.
Unit conversion is simple arithmetic, but the factor must match the molecule. Cholesterol, whether total, LDL or HDL, converts with 38.67 because the conversion is based on its molecular weight. Triglycerides convert with 88.57. Mixing the two is the most common mistake and can make a triglyceride result look alarmingly high or low. A second practical point is direction: to go from mg/dL to mmol/L you divide, and to go back you multiply by the same factor. Keep the original report alongside the converted number so the unit and the value stay paired. This converter is a convenience for reading foreign reports or studies, not a substitute for the reference range printed by the laboratory that ran the test.
Continue with the Cholesterol Ratio Calculator, LDL Calculator (Friedewald), or the VLDL Calculator — or browse more metabolic health tools and all health calculators.
The conversion depends on molecular weight, and triglycerides are much heavier molecules than cholesterol. Cholesterol divides by 38.67 and triglycerides by 88.57 when converting mg/dL to mmol/L. Applying the cholesterol factor to triglycerides gives a result that is far too high.
Lipid and metabolic calculations are screening aids, not diagnoses. Friedewald LDL is unreliable when triglycerides are high, and risk depends on blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, kidney disease and family history. Treatment decisions require a clinician and, in most cases, a full lipid panel.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
Content updated: September 2026