The ratio of Total cholesterol / HDL cholesterol should be 4.0 – 6.0 (for males) and 3.7 – 5.7 (for females). This ratio is an important indicator of health. Since LDL cholesterol can damage your arteries and HDL cholesterol helps your arteries, this ratio is a good indicator of the potential of cholesterol, in general, to help or hurt your arteries. Additionally, there are separate guidelines for male and female – recognizing the inherent differences in women’s and men’s bodies.