Other names: LARGE VLDL P
Optimal Result:
0 - 2.7 nmol/L.
What is VLDL?
VLDL stands for very-low-density lipoprotein. Your liver makes VLDL and releases it into your bloodstream. The VLDL particles mainly carry triglycerides, another type of fat, to your tissues. VLDL is similar to LDL cholesterol, but LDL mainly carries cholesterol to your tissues instead of triglycerides.
VLDL and LDL are sometimes called "bad" cholesterols because they can contribute to the buildup of plaque in your arteries. This buildup is called atherosclerosis. The plaque that builds up is a sticky substance made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood. Over time, the plaque hardens and narrows your arteries. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your body. It can lead to coronary artery disease and other heart diseases.
A normal VLDL level is below 30 mg/dL. Your healthcare provider can measure your VLDL cholesterol through a simple blood test. If your VLDL is high, lifestyle changes and medication can help.
Due to their chemical structure, fats (like cholesterol and triglycerides) can’t travel solo through your blood. That’s why they need lipoproteins to carry them to various organs and tissues throughout your body.
The main job of VLDL is to carry triglycerides and cholesterol to the places that need them. In their transport role, VLDLs help your body gain energy, store energy and regulate blood pressure. So, they’re important for your overall body function. But having too many VLDLs in your blood can be dangerous and raise your risk of cardiovascular disease.
What are Large VLDL Particles (Large VLDL-P)?
Large VLDL particles, also known as very-low-density lipoprotein particles, play a significant role in lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health. VLDL particles are primarily composed of triglycerides, which are a form of fat. They also contain cholesterol, fatty acids, and a protein called apolipoprotein B (apoB). High levels of apoB in the blood have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. When there is an excessive production of VLDL particles or impaired clearance from the bloodstream, it can lead to elevated levels of VLDL cholesterol. High levels of VLDL cholesterol are considered detrimental to cardiovascular health, as they contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Atherosclerosis can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Why do I need this test?
You may need this test if you are at risk for CVD. Risk factors for CVD include:
- Older age
- Gender–men are at higher risk
- Family history
- High blood pressure
- Obesity and overweight
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Diabetes
What other tests might I have along with this test?
You may also need these other tests at the same time to check your cholesterol levels:
- Total cholesterol
- LDL (bad) cholesterol
- HDL (good) cholesterol
- Triglycerides
You may also need these tests:
- Electrocardiogram (records the electrical signal from the heart to check for different heart conditions)
- Stress test (shows how the heart works during physical activity)
- Echocardiogram (uses sound waves to show how blood flows through the heart and heart valves)
- Cardiac catheterization (a procedure to examine how well your heart is working)
What are lipoproteins?
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) are two different types of fatty substances found in your blood. They carry cholesterol and triglycerides through your bloodstream. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is necessary for building cells. In the body, it’s most commonly created in your liver.
What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are another type of fat that’s used to store extra energy in your cells.
Is it VLDL or VLDL-C?
Most people use “VLDL” and “VLDL cholesterol” interchangeably. But there’s a difference worth knowing.
VLDL refers to the lipoprotein, or the particle, that your liver creates. This particle transports fats and proteins in your blood. VLDL is a bit like a bus. The passengers on the bus include the different fats and proteins that need a ride. Cholesterol is one of those passengers. VLDL cholesterol refers to the cholesterol that’s carried on VLDL particles throughout your blood.
Other types of lipoproteins, like LDLs and HDLs, also serve as buses. They each carry different amounts and forms of fat and protein. LDL cholesterol refers to the cholesterol that LDL particles carry. Similarly, HDL cholesterol refers to the cholesterol that HDL particles carry.
What is the difference between VLDL and LDL?
Though VLDL and LDL share the same building blocks, these two types of lipoproteins differ in the percentages of the cholesterol, protein, and triglycerides that make them up. VLDL contains more triglycerides, while LDL contains more cholesterol.
VLDL and LDL are both considered carriers, and types of “bad” cholesterol. While your body needs both cholesterol and triglycerides to function, having too much of them can cause them to build up in your arteries. This can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. One is not worse than the other, and they’re both equally atherogenic (meaning they promote atherosclerosis).
Most people will get their LDL-C and VLDL level tested during a routine physical exam. They are usually tested as part of a lipid panel.
What are the main components of VLDL?
All lipoproteins are made of fats and proteins. But the chemical makeup differs based on the specific type of lipoprotein. For example, each type of lipoprotein contains different amounts of fat and protein, as well as different forms of each. Researchers call VLDLs “triglyceride-rich lipoproteins” because of their high triglyceride content.
VLDL is created in your liver to carry triglycerides throughout your body. It’s made up of the following components by weight:
Main components of VLDL:
- Cholesterol 10%
- Triglycerides 70%
- Proteins 10%
- Other fats 10%
The role of VLDL in atherosclerosis:
When your liver produces more VLDLs than you need, your body has to metabolize them (break them down). Your body uses VLDLs to make intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDLs) and ultimately LDLs. These are important lipoproteins that your body needs. But, again, your body only needs so many. Excess LDLs in your blood can become trapped inside the walls of your arteries and promote plaque growth.
Research shows that the combination of high VLDLs and high LDLs is more dangerous than high levels of either of those alone. Plus, when your body breaks down VLDLs to make LDLs, some leftover bits remain. These “remnant particles” are made mostly of cholesterol. They’re small enough to get trapped inside your artery walls and promote atherosclerosis.
Why is atherosclerosis so dangerous?
Atherosclerosis is dangerous because it narrows your arteries and raises your risk for various forms of cardiovascular disease, including:
- Coronary artery disease.
- Cerebrovascular disease.
- Peripheral artery disease.
- Aortic aneurysm.
What are triglycerides used for?
The triglycerides carried by VLDL are used by cells in the body for energy. Eating more carbohydrates, or sugars, than you burn can lead to excessive amounts of triglycerides in the body and high levels of VLDL in your blood. Extra triglycerides are stored in fat cells and released at a later time when needed for energy.
High levels of triglycerides:
High levels of triglycerides are linked to the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries. These deposits are called plaques. Plaque buildup increases your risk for heart disease and stroke. Experts believe this is due to:
- increased inflammation
- increased blood pressure
- changes in the lining of blood vessels
- low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol
High triglycerides are also associated with metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
How often shall I have my cholesterol levels checked?
The American Heart Association recommends all individuals over the age of 20 get their cholesterol checked every four to six years. Cholesterol levels may need to be followed up more frequently if your risk for heart disease is high or to monitor any treatment.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/cholesterol_screening.htm
References:
Chen X, Zhou L, Hussain MM. Lipids and dyslipoproteinemia. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 23rd ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2017:chap 17.
Grundy SM, Stone NJ, Bailey AL, et al. 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. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019;73(24):e285-e350. PMID: 30423393 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30423393.
Robinson JG. Disorders of lipid metabolism. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 195.
Balling M, Afzal S, Varbo A, Langsted A, et al. VLDL Cholesterol Accounts for One-Half of the Risk of Myocardial Infarction Associated With apoB-Containing Lipoproteins. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33272366/) J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;76(23):2725-2735.
Furtado RHM. Searching for the ideal LDL cholesterol estimating formula. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33711393/) Int J Cardiol. 2021;333:211-212
Adiels M, Taskinen MR, Packard C, Caslake MJ, Soro-Paavonen A, Westerbacka J, Vehkavaara S, Häkkinen A, Olofsson SO, Yki-Järvinen H, Borén J. Overproduction of large VLDL particles is driven by increased liver fat content in man. Diabetologia. 2006 Apr;49(4):755-65. doi: 10.1007/s00125-005-0125-z. Epub 2006 Feb 4. PMID: 16463046.
Large VLDL particles, also known as very-low-density lipoprotein particles, play a significant role in lipid metabolism and cardiovascular health. VLDL particles are primarily composed of triglycerides, which are a form of fat. They also contain cholesterol, fatty acids, and a protein called apolipoprotein B (apoB). High levels of apoB in the blood have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. When there is an excessive production of VLDL particles or impaired clearance from the bloodstream, it can lead to elevated levels of VLDL cholesterol. High levels of VLDL cholesterol are considered detrimental to cardiovascular health, as they contribute to the development of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the arteries. Atherosclerosis can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
High VLDL cholesterol raises your risk of cardiovascular disease. VLDL is not the direct target of treatment.
Many people with high VLDL cholesterol also have one or more of the following:
- High triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).
- High LDL cholesterol.
- High total cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).
You may be able to reduce all of these lipids in your blood by:
- Following a heart-healthy diet like the Mediterranean diet.
- Exercising regularly (talk to your provider before starting any new exercise plan).
- Keeping a weight that’s healthy for you.
- Taking medication, such as statins.
In some cases, an underlying medical condition can raise your triglycerides and, in turn, raise your VLDL cholesterol. Certain medications can also raise both. Talk to your provider about possible causes for your high VLDL cholesterol and what you can do in response.
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Easily upload lab results from any provider, whether it's a hospital, independent lab, or home testing service. We support PDFs, scanned documents, and JPEGs from patient portals. No need to log in to multiple platforms — everything is centralized in one secure space.
Easily upload lab results from any provider — we support PDFs, scans, and images. Keep all your reports organized in one secure place.
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Every lab result is automatically organized on a chronological timeline, giving you a complete picture of your health journey. Whether you're tracking a condition, managing treatments, or staying proactive, the timeline helps you and your doctor understand how things progress over time.
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Whether it's a blood test, GI panel, urinalysis, or something else, lab reports measure numerous biomarkers that reveal what's happening inside your body. Our extensive database covers over 10,000 biomarkers, providing clear, simple explanations of what each result means and how you can take action—no matter your membership level. Say goodbye to confusion and get the insights you need to better understand your health.
Our database covers over 10,000 biomarkers with clear, simple explanations—so you can finally understand your results and what to do next.
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Enter Your Lab Reports — Always Free
If you'd like to handle inputting your health data into your account, you can do so with our easy-to-use data entry forms. Our user-friendly form is designed to guide you through the quick and easy submission process, making it simple to keep track of your health metrics. This is available to both Complete plan and Unlimited plan members.
Our user-friendly form guides you through a quick, simple submission process, making it easy to enter your health metrics.
Add your results anytime with our easy entry form. It's quick, guided, and helps you stay organized — free for all members.
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View your lab data through easy-to-read graphs and tables. Quickly spot patterns, track changes, and compare results across different dates — all without digging through multiple reports. You can also select and compare graphs of specific biomarkers side-by-side to better understand how they relate and change over time.
See your lab reports in clear graphs and tables. Spot patterns, track changes, and compare results over time — all in one place.
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Export Your Complete Lab History
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file. Choose from PDF, Excel, or CSV formats to easily review, share, or get a second opinion—no more juggling multiple reports.
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file.
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Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest. Complete plan members receive one report entered for free, then $15 per report after that. Unlimited plan members receive ten report entries for free, then $15 per report after that.
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest.
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Whether you're working with a doctor, nutritionist, caregiver, or wellness coach, you can securely share your complete lab history by sending an invite link to anyone you trust. You have full control over who sees your information and for how long, ensuring your privacy and peace of mind at every step.
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Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
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Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you're on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
The Complete Plan ($15/month) is perfect for individuals who want ongoing access to their health data. It includes unlimited lab imports, visual tracking, custom ranges, result explanations, full account exports, and secure sharing — all with a simple monthly subscription. You can cancel anytime and restart your plan whenever you're ready — your data will still be there waiting for you. You can also upgrade to the Unlimited Plan at any time, with the cost prorated based on what you've already paid.
The Unlimited Plan ($250 one-time) is also designed for individuals but offers lifetime access with no ongoing subscription. You'll get all the same features as the Complete Plan, plus a larger initial data entry allowance (10 reports), making it a great choice if you prefer a one-time payment and long-term use without monthly fees.
In short:
There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our Data Entry Service is for when you don't want to manually type in your lab results yourself. You simply upload your report (PDF, image, or screenshot), and our trained team enters the information into your Healthmatters account for you — accurately and neatly organized, ready to view in graphs, tables, and timelines.
The $15 per report covers the time and care it takes for a real person to review your file, make sure each result is entered correctly, and double-check for accuracy. This ensures your health data is precise and easy to work with — without you having to spend the time doing it yourself.
Prefer to do it yourself? You can always use our free self-entry tool to add results manually — it just takes a bit more time and attention.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
All professional accounts allow you to import and onboard an unlimited number of clients and their lab results. The distinction between professional plans lies solely in the data entry service.
The Pro Monthly Plus plan is priced at $75 per month and includes a data entry service for five reports each month. Additional reports can be self-entered at no extra cost or, if preferred, you can use our data entry service for an additional fee of $15 per report.
The Pro Monthly plan is priced at $45 per month and does not include a data entry service. Self-entry is free for an unlimited number of reports, and you can opt for the data entry service at a fee of $15 per report.
You also have the option to upgrade to higher monthly or to annual plans, which come with substantial discounts. All upgrades can be done directly from your account.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We've crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download your information anytime. We offer two easy ways to export your lab data:
This makes it simple to save, back up, or share your health data whenever you need.
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Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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