LDL and VLDL particles
Reads: Exports liver fat
The balance here is a Literal Trade Between two Places — the liver and the blood. VLDL export is how the liver gets fat out of itself. Raise it and hepatic steatosis falls; the same move raises serum triglycerides, because the fat has to go somewhere. Lower it and triglycerides fall while fat accumulates in the liver. There is NO setting that wins both. Which one you would rather have depends on which is currently the problem.
What this marker reads
The lipoprotein that packages hepatic triglyceride and ships it out of the liver — the fat-export freight line.
What a named body publishes
Each line below is the sentence the issuing body wrote, carried with its own identifier. Nothing here interprets your result — it states what was published, for whom, and by whom.
LDL cholesterol
“ATP III Table 2 classifies LDL cholesterol "<100 Optimal".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III Table 2 classifies LDL cholesterol "100-129 Near optimal/above optimal".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III Table 2 classifies LDL cholesterol "130-159 Borderline high".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III Table 2 classifies LDL cholesterol "160-189 High".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III Table 2 classifies LDL cholesterol "≥190 Very high".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“The 2018 guideline lists as a risk-enhancing factor "persistently elevated LDL-C levels ≥160 mg/dL (≥4.1 mmol/L)".” a risk-enhancing factor, not a reference range
2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines · Circulation · 2019 DOI 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625 · PMID 30586774
“2019 ESC/EAS Table 7 sets for very-high-risk patients "an LDL-C goal of < 1.4 mmoL/L (< 55 mg/dL)" together with a ≥50% reduction from baseline.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS Table 7 sets for high-risk patients "an LDL-C goal of < 1.8 mmoL/L (< 70 mg/dL)" together with a ≥50% reduction from baseline.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS Table 7 sets for moderate-risk patients "A goal of < 2.6 mmoL/L (< 100 mg/dL)" for LDL-C.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS Table 7 sets for low-risk patients "A goal of < 3.0 mmoL/L (< 116 mg/dL)" for LDL-C.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
Triglycerides
“ATP III states "Normal triglycerides: <150 mg/dL".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III states "Borderline-high triglycerides: 150-199 mg/dL".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III states "High triglycerides: 200-499 mg/dL".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“ATP III states "Very high triglycerides: ≥500 mg/dL".”
Third Report of the NCEP Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) — Executive Summary · National Cholesterol Education Program, NHLBI, National Institutes of Health — NIH Publication No. 01-3670, May 2001 The document
“The 2018 guideline lists "Persistently elevated, primary hypertriglyceridemia (≥175 mg/dL)" as a risk-enhancing factor.” a risk-enhancing factor, not a reference range
2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines · Circulation · 2019 DOI 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625 · PMID 30586774
Apolipoprotein B
“The 2018 guideline lists "Elevated apoB ≥130 mg/dL" as a risk-enhancing factor when measured.” a risk-enhancing factor, not a reference range
2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines · Circulation · 2019 DOI 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625 · PMID 30586774
“2019 ESC/EAS secondary apolipoprotein B goals are "< 65, 80, and 100 mg/dL" for very-high-, high- and moderate-risk patients respectively; 65 mg/dL is the very-high-risk goal.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS apolipoprotein B goal for high-risk patients, from "< 65, 80, and 100 mg/dL".” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS apolipoprotein B goal for moderate-risk patients, from "< 65, 80, and 100 mg/dL".” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
Non-HDL cholesterol
“The 2018 guideline's primary-hypercholesterolemia risk enhancer includes "non-HDL-C 190-219 mg/dL [4.9-5.6 mmol/L]".” a risk-enhancing factor, not a reference range
2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines · Circulation · 2019 DOI 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625 · PMID 30586774
“2019 ESC/EAS secondary non-HDL-C goals are "< 2.2, 2.6, and 3.4 mmoL/L (< 85, 100, and 130 mg/dL)" for very-high-, high- and moderate-risk patients respectively; 85 mg/dL (2.2 mmol/L) is the very-high-risk goal.” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS non-HDL-C goal for high-risk patients, from "< 2.2, 2.6, and 3.4 mmoL/L (< 85, 100, and 130 mg/dL)".” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
“2019 ESC/EAS non-HDL-C goal for moderate-risk patients, from "< 2.2, 2.6, and 3.4 mmoL/L (< 85, 100, and 130 mg/dL)".” a treatment goal set by cardiovascular risk category
2019 ESC/EAS guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemias: Lipid modification to reduce cardiovascular risk · Atherosclerosis · 2019 DOI 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2019.08.014
Your laboratory reads your result against its own assay, and this page does not do that for it. What is above is what a named body published and for whom; what is below is the machinery the marker reads and the formulas witnessed on it.
What moves it
Builds mitochondria lowers it.
Chen 2010, J Biol Chem 285:25996 — PGC-1α stimulates hepatic VLDL assembly and secretion through activation of CideB.
What it moves
It lowers Clears liver fat.
Hepatic VLDL-secretion study 2010 — impaired VLDL secretion (loss of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein) drives hepatic triglyceride accumulation and steatohepatitis; VLDL export protects the liver from steatosis. PMID 20392512. Human genetics settles the direction: people carrying rare variants in APOB or MTTP have VLDL secretion virtually eliminated, with a resulting increase in hepatic steatosis — and familial abetalipoproteinemia shows near-complete absence of apoB-containing lipoproteins. Export is the drain; block the drain and the liver fills. MTP is described as absolutely required for VLDL assembly. And fat blocks its own exit — A self-amplifying loop: free-fatty-acid accumulation in the liver causes chronic endoplasmic reticulum stress, ER stress increases apoB100 degradation, and losing apoB100 reduces the liver's ability to export triglyceride, worsening the steatosis that started it. Insulin does the same thing deliberately: insulin directly targets apoB100 for degradation, so hyperinsulinemia suppresses the export route. PMID 20392512
It raises Triglycerides.
Lipoprotein-metabolism review (Endotext NBK326742) — VLDL is the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein that exports hepatic triglyceride into the circulation, raising plasma triglycerides. NBK326742. VLDL is the vehicle: each particle carries one molecule of apoB-100 plus varying triacylglycerol and cholesteryl ester, and its physiological job is transporting energy from the liver to the periphery — so plasma triglyceride is largely a readout of hepatic export. Causal demonstration: adenoviral mtp overexpression raised hepatic VLDL-triglyceride secretion without changing apoB100 synthesis — more triglyceride loaded into the same number of particles, not more particles. And it only worked on an apoB100 background, and only where hepatic triglyceride or apoB100 was already elevated — the export machinery is substrate-limited, not rate-limited, under normal conditions.
Formulas that modulate it
Each formula page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
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