Heart Health
HDL / ApoA1 Ratio
What This Marker Tells Us
Compares cholesterol content within HDL particles to particle number, revealing whether your HDL particles are cholesterol-enriched or depleted and how efficiently they function.
Why It Matters
Assesses HDL quality beyond simple quantity. Each ApoA1 represents one HDL particle. When HDL cholesterol is high relative to ApoA1, particles are cholesterol-enriched, potentially indicating efficient reverse cholesterol transport. When the ratio is low, particles are cholesterol-depleted, possibly reflecting dysfunctional HDL that can't properly remove cholesterol from arteries.
How to Interpret Your Trends
Low ratios suggest cholesterol-depleted HDL particles with potentially impaired reverse cholesterol transport function. Typical ratios indicate normal HDL structure and function. High ratios suggest cholesterol-enriched particles, potentially reflecting optimal cholesterol removal from peripheral tissues. However, very high ratios with normal ApoA1 may indicate oversaturation and reduced efficiency. Context from triglycerides and inflammation guides interpretation.
What Influences This Marker
Elevated triglycerides cause triglyceride enrichment and cholesterol depletion of HDL, lowering the ratio and impairing function. Inflammation similarly impairs HDL structure and function. Exercise, Mediterranean diet patterns, moderate alcohol intake, and metabolic health optimization improve HDL composition. Weight loss and triglyceride reduction allow HDL to properly load cholesterol for transport.
How Your Team Uses It
Your coach uses this ratio to assess HDL functionality beyond the number. Low ratios despite adequate HDL levels prompt investigation of triglycerides, inflammation, and metabolic health. It guides whether HDL-raising interventions will meaningfully reduce cardiovascular risk or if functional improvement through metabolic optimization takes priority.
Related Signals We Also Review
HDL cholesterol, ApoA1, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, insulin resistance indicators, and other lipid particles complete the HDL function assessment.