| Test | Conventional clinical meaning | Functional‑medicine angle |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol (TC) | Sum of all circulating cholesterol; high values flag cardiovascular risk. | Seen as a global marker of lipid transport capacity. Elevated TC often reflects dietary excess (refined carbs, trans fats), impaired hepatic clearance, or chronic inflammation that drives lipoprotein synthesis. |
| High‑Density Lipoprotein (HDL‑C) | “Good” cholesterol; higher levels are protective because HDL shuttles cholesterol back to the liver for excretion. | HDL is also an anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant carrier. Low HDL can indicate oxidative stress, poor gut‑derived short‑chain fatty acid production, or hormonal imbalance (low estrogen/testosterone). |
| Low‑Density Lipoprotein (LDL‑C) | “Bad” cholesterol; high levels correlate with atherosclerotic plaque formation. | Functional clinicians differentiate small dense LDL (more atherogenic) from larger buoyant particles. Small dense LDL often arises from high carbohydrate intake, insulin resistance, and chronic low‑grade inflammation. |
| Triglycerides (TG) | Energy‑rich fat molecules; high TG signals metabolic dysfunction. | Elevated TG is a hallmark of insulin resistance, excessive fructose or alcohol intake, and mitochondrial overload. TGs also serve as a proxy for post‑prandial lipemia—a driver of endothelial stress. |
| TC ÷ HDL Ratio | Simple risk index; lower ratios (<4) are generally better. | Functional medicine treats the ratio as a balance score between lipid delivery (TC) and protective reverse‑transport (HDL). A high ratio often uncovers hidden metabolic stressors (gut dysbiosis, chronic inflammation, endocrine disruption) before overt LDL elevation. |