Measuring cholesterol yourself: what your value means, even after raclette and fondue

Raclette, fondue, Christmas biscuits and the holiday roast: especially in winter, many people wonder about their cholesterol. With the FORA 6 Connect you measure your total cholesterol at home, with a drop of blood from your fingertip and no appointment. This guide explains what the value tells you, what a single festive meal changes and how to measure correctly. All information is based on the manufacturer's information and on a statement by European scientific societies. You will find the sources at the end of the article.

What is total cholesterol?

Total cholesterol includes all cholesterol fractions in the blood, including LDL and HDL cholesterol [2]. The FORA 6 Connect measures total cholesterol [1]. It does not show how the value is split between LDL and HDL. For that you need a laboratory test, for example at your doctor's.

Does a festive meal change your cholesterol?

Hardly. A joint statement by the European Atherosclerosis Society and the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine examined how blood lipid values change after ordinary meals. For total cholesterol, the largest average change 1 to 6 hours after eating was only about −0.2 mmol/L. The experts consider this clinically insignificant [2].

In other words: a single raclette or fondue will not make your total cholesterol shoot up. The value rather reflects your diet and lifestyle over a longer period. What matters most is therefore the trend, for example a comparison before and after the holiday season.

Do I need to fast?

According to this statement, fasting is not routinely required to determine blood lipid values [2]. For a good comparison, it is still advisable to always measure under similar conditions, for example at the same time of day.

How do I interpret my value?

The European societies recommend that laboratories flag a total cholesterol of 5 mmol/L (190 mg/dL) or more, whether fasting or not [2]. Which value is desirable for you personally, however, depends on your overall cardiovascular risk, for example age, blood pressure, smoking or diabetes [2]. So discuss your values with your doctor.

The FORA 6 Connect shows all values in mmol/L. The measuring range for total cholesterol is 100 to 400 mg/dL [1], which is about 2.6 to 10.3 mmol/L.

How to measure with the FORA 6 Connect

1. Once per new pack: set up the meter. Insert the code strip supplied into the switched-off meter. The meter is then set up for this pack [1].
2. Wash your hands and dry them well.
3. Insert the cholesterol test strip. The meter switches on.
4. Prick your fingertip. For cholesterol measurement, only blood from the fingertip is intended [1].
5. Apply enough blood. The strip needs 3.0 µL of blood, considerably more than for blood glucose. After 60 seconds you see your result [1].

Tip for a large enough drop: rub the puncture site well before pricking rather than squeezing afterwards. More tips for a clean blood sample can be found in our guide Measuring blood glucose correctly: 8 tips for accurate results. They also apply to cholesterol testing.

When should you seek medical advice?

• If your value is repeatedly above 5 mmol/L or you are unsure how to interpret it.
• If a result does not match how you feel or earlier laboratory values.
• Before changing any medication because of a measured value.

Self-testing does not replace a medical diagnosis. It helps you know your values and discuss them at your next doctor's appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Does the meter show LDL and HDL?
No. The FORA 6 Connect measures total cholesterol. The split into LDL and HDL is determined by a laboratory.

Do I need a separate meter for cholesterol?
No. With the matching test strip, the FORA 6 Connect also measures blood glucose, ketones and uric acid.

How long does the measurement take?
60 seconds after applying the blood [1].

How are the test strips packed?
In bags of 10, each strip individually wrapped. Store them in the original packaging, dry, at 2 to 30 °C and not frozen. The expiry date is printed on the pack.

Start measuring now

• Already have a FORA 6 Connect? → Cholesterol test strips for FORA 6
• Want to get started? → FORA 6 Connect with 10 cholesterol test strips
• Everything about measuring cholesterol: Measure cholesterol

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Sources

[1] ForaCare: FORA 6 Connect Owner's Manual (multi-parameter version) and package insert of the FORA total cholesterol test strips. Information on blood volume, measuring time, measuring range, sampling site and code strip.

[2] Nordestgaard BG, Langsted A, Mora S, Kolovou G, Baum H, Bruckert E, et al. Fasting is not routinely required for determination of a lipid profile: clinical and laboratory implications including flagging at desirable concentration cut-points – a joint consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society and European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. European Heart Journal. 2016;37(25):1944–1958. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehw152