About

Managing metabolic health requires navigating two conflicting measurement standards. The United States favors mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), while the majority of the world utilizes mmol/L (millimoles per liter). For diabetics traveling internationally or researchers reading global studies, this friction is dangerous. Misinterpreting a glucose reading of 100 as mmol/L instead of mg/dL leads to catastrophic dosing errors.

This tool bridges that gap not just for Glucose, but also for Cholesterol and Triglycerides, as the conversion factors differ based on the molecular weight of the substance. It provides immediate visual feedback, color-coding results to help you instantly recognize if values fall within standard healthy ranges.

Formulas

Conversion relies on the molecular weight (MW) of the substance. The general formula relates molar concentration (C) to mass concentration (p).

C_mmol/L = p_mg/dL × 10MW

This yields specific factors for common tests:

{

Glucose: ÷ 18Cholesterol: ÷ 38.67Triglycerides: ÷ 88.57

Reference Data

Classification (Glucose)	mg/dL Range	mmol/L Range
Hypoglycemia (Low)	< 70	< 3.9
Normal (Fasting)	70 - 100	3.9 - 5.6
Prediabetes	101 - 125	5.7 - 6.9
Diabetes	≥ 126	≥ 7.0

Frequently Asked Questions

The conversion factor depends on the Molecular Weight of the molecule. A Cholesterol molecule (C27H46O) is much heavier than a Glucose molecule (C6H12O6). Since mg/dL measures weight and mmol/L measures the count of molecules, you need different math to convert weight to count for heavier molecules.

Generally, yes. A fasting blood glucose level of 5.5 mmol/L is approximately 99 mg/dL, which is at the upper end of the normal range for non-diabetics. However, medical advice should always be sought from a doctor.