Lipids, like cholesterol, move around your body in blood as large lipoproteins. There are five major classes of lipoproteins including very-low-density lipoprotein. According to "Lipids and Vascular Disease: Current Issues," VLDL has a high cholesterol content and a very low protein content making it easier for VLDL to get deposited in your blood vessels, which leads to atherosclerosis or fat accumulations. The sub-fraction of VLDL known as VLDL3 is the densest form of VLDL and increases your risk for heart disease, blood clots and diabetes.
VLDL Cholesterol
VLDL, which is a type of lipoprotein made in your liver, is composed of triglycerides, cholesterol and apolipoproteins. According to "Lipids and Atherosclerosis," VLDL is the main carrier of triglycerides, and in elevated levels, can lead to an increased risk factor for heart disease. When VLDL goes into your bloodstream, your body converts the VLDL to low-density lipoprotein. VLDL has the function of transporting endogenous products as it is the body's internal transport mechanism for lipids. The enzymes lipoprotein lipase also removes triglycerides from VLDLs causing the VLDL to become an intermediate-density lipoprotein.
The Classic Cholesterol Test
Most cholesterol tests measure your HDL, LDL, and triglycerides levels. Triglycerides are the main form of fat in your body. The cholesterol test results give these levels based on formulas rather than direct measurements. According to "Cellular Lipid Metabolism," the main interpretation of cholesterol test generally relies on the concept of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol where the HDL is considered the good cholesterol and the LDL is considered the bad cholesterol.
The VAP Test
Starting in 2007, doctors started using a new type of cholesterol test called the vertical auto profile test. According to "Cellular Lipid Metabolism," this new test allows doctors to more accurately measure different types of cholesterol levels. The VAP test measure your total VLDL levels, your sum total cholesterol, your total non-HDL levels, your total apoB100, Lp(a) cholesterol, IDL, LDL-RC, sum total LDL-C, LDL size pattern, HDL-2, HDL-3 and VLDL-3. VLDL3 involves very small-diameter VLDL particles. VLDL3 is the densest VLDL sub-fraction and a better predictor of heart disease than either VLDL1 or VLDL2.
Interpretation of Cholesterol Tests Values
An elevation of VLDL levels helps doctors evaluate your increased risk of heart disease and diabetes because the higher your VLDL levels, the greater your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. Total non-HDL is the sum of only LDL and VLDL levels. Higher total non-HDL values indicate a greater risk for developing heart disease. Your total apoB100 value aids the creation, carrying and delivering of bad cholesterol. In other words, your total apoB100 value gives some direction in identifying the type and cause of your high cholesterol.
References
- "Lipids and Vascular Disease: Current Issues"; D. John Betteridge; 2000
- "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Disease (Food Science and Technology)"; Lees; 1990
- "Lipids and Atherosclerosis (Advances in Translational Medical Science)"; Chris J. Packard and Daniel J. Rader; 2005
- "Cellular Lipid Metabolism"; Christian Ehnholm; 2009
