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One of the most useful numbers you can get from a standard lipid panel — and one almost no lab reports for you.
Use values from the same fasting lipid panel. Nothing is stored — the maths runs in your browser.
Enter a positive value in every field.
Your lipid panel gives you triglycerides and HDL as two separate numbers. Divided by each other, they tell you something neither reveals alone.
Triglycerides and HDL are metabolically linked and tend to move in opposite directions. When insulin sensitivity worsens, triglycerides typically rise while HDL falls — so the ratio amplifies a signal that either number alone might understate.
In published research this ratio has been studied as a marker of insulin resistance and of small dense LDL particles.
| Value | Common interpretation |
|---|---|
| Below 2 | Favourable — associated with better insulin sensitivity |
| 2 – 3 | Middle ground — worth watching the trend |
| 3 – 5 | Elevated — often studied as a threshold for insulin resistance |
| Above 5 | High — worth discussing with a doctor |
In mg/dL, below 2 is generally considered favourable, 2–3 is middle ground, and above 3 is often used in research as a threshold suggesting insulin resistance.
No, and this is a common mistake. The conventional thresholds assume mg/dL. A ratio calculated directly from mmol/L comes out about 2.3 times lower. This calculator converts first, so the result is comparable.
It answers a different question. LDL relates to how much cholesterol is carried; this ratio relates more to insulin sensitivity and particle size. Neither replaces the other.
Faster than most lipid markers. Because triglycerides respond quickly to alcohol, refined carbohydrate and exercise, a retest after 4 to 8 weeks can show real change.
This ratio is one signal among many. PhisBio Lab reads your whole blood panel and shows how five body systems are doing.
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