Cholesterol conversion: mg/dL to mmol/L
For cholesterol, 1 mg/dL = 0.0258622 mmol/L, and 1 mmol/L = 38.6664 mg/dL.
Common values
mg/dL to mmol/L
| mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|
| 100 | 2.59 |
| 120 | 3.10 |
| 130 | 3.36 |
| 150 | 3.88 |
| 160 | 4.14 |
| 190 | 4.91 |
| 200 | 5.17 |
| 220 | 5.69 |
| 240 | 6.21 |
| 260 | 6.72 |
| 280 | 7.24 |
| 300 | 7.76 |
mmol/L to mg/dL
| mmol/L | mg/dL |
|---|---|
| 2 | 77 |
| 2.5 | 97 |
| 3 | 116 |
| 3.5 | 135 |
| 4 | 155 |
| 4.5 | 174 |
| 5 | 193 |
| 5.5 | 213 |
| 6 | 232 |
| 6.5 | 251 |
| 7 | 271 |
| 8 | 309 |
Each converted value is worked out in full and then rounded: mmol/L to two decimal places and mg/dL to whole numbers.
Source: molar masses summed from the IUPAC CIAAW abridged standard atomic weights, 2024.
The values are facts and free to use; this table’s selection and presentation are © 2026 ScienceQuest.
Why the factor is specific to cholesterol
Cholesterol, C₂₇H₄₆O, has a molar mass of 386.664 g/mol, summed from the standard atomic weights of its atoms. A result in mg/dL is a mass and one in mmol/L an amount of substance, so converting divides by the molar mass and multiplies by 10 for the decilitres in a litre: 1 mg/dL = 10 ÷ 386.664 = 0.0258622 mmol/L.
A factor fits one analyte only: 1 mg/dL of triglycerides is 0.0112905 mmol/L, as the triglycerides conversion table shows.
The same factor serves total, HDL, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol, since each is a mass of the one molecule.
- mmol/L = mg/dL × 10 ÷ 386.664
- mg/dL = mmol/L × 386.664 ÷ 10
Which countries report which unit
American and Indian laboratories usually report cholesterol in mg/dL; British, Canadian and Australian ones report mmol/L.
Worked example
- 200 mg/dL in mmol/L
- = 200 × 10 ÷ 386.664
- = 5.17245 mmol/L