Lp(a) — Genetic Cardiovascular Risk
Lipoprotein(a) is a genetically fixed atherogenic particle — lifestyle changes cannot lower it. Elevated Lp(a) raises cardiovascular and aortic-valve risk independent of LDL. Test once; if elevated, tighten everything else.
Lipoprotein(a) — Lp(a) — is an atherogenic particle whose blood level is almost entirely set by genetics, not lifestyle. It raises cardiovascular and aortic-valve risk independent of standard LDL and ApoB. Because it is stable over a lifetime, you only need to test it once — but if you have never tested it, this is worth asking for.
The biomarker
- Name: Lp(a) — Lipoprotein(a)
- Units: nmol/L (some labs report mg/dL; ask for nmol/L — it is more precise)
- Standard risk threshold: < 125 nmol/L (low risk); 125–250 (moderate); > 250 (high)
- Optimal target: < 75 nmol/L
How to read your result
| Value (nmol/L) | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| < 75 | Low risk |
| 75–125 | Borderline — tighten other lipid factors |
| 125–250 | Elevated risk — manage all modifiable risk aggressively |
| ≥ 250 | High risk — discuss with clinician; specialist referral if family history of early CVD |
What moves the needle
- Lp(a) itself is genetically fixed. Lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, weight loss) do not meaningfully lower Lp(a). There are no currently approved supplements that reliably move it.
- If elevated: tighten everything else. Because Lp(a) cannot be changed, the clinical strategy is to aggressively reduce all other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors — ApoB, LDL-C, blood pressure, smoking, metabolic health.
- Retest frequency: once in a lifetime is sufficient for most adults unless a clinician has a specific clinical reason to recheck.
Why this test is worth asking for
- Roughly 20% of adults have an Lp(a) level above 125 nmol/L — a meaningful cardiovascular risk factor most have never been told about.
- Standard lipid panels (LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides) do not measure Lp(a). It requires a separate, specific order.
- Knowing your Lp(a) value informs how aggressively to pursue everything else that is modifiable — a case where one data point changes the action plan.
- Elevated Lp(a) also raises aortic-valve stenosis risk, which is not captured by lipid panels at all.
Related protocols
- ApoB — Cardiovascular Risk Marker
- Lipid Panel — LDL, HDL, Triglycerides
- hs-CRP — Systemic Inflammation
Sources
AgeGen lab guides are educational only. We do not provide medical diagnosis, prescribe brands, or recommend specific doses. Talk to a licensed clinician before changing your supplement or medication routine.