Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is VLDL?CausesWho Should Be Tested?DiagnosisComplicationsLowering VLDL and Triglycerides
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is VLDL?
Causes
Who Should Be Tested?
Diagnosis
Complications
Lowering VLDL and Triglycerides
In this article, learn about what VLDL is, how it’s tested, and medical conditions that can affect your level of VLDL. It also covers how to lower VLDL and triglycerides.
Verywell / Catherine Song
These lipoproteins are very important in moving cholesterol and triglycerides around in the body to where they are needed. For example, lipoproteins help absorb triglycerides and cholesterol from the small intestine and take them from the liver to other places in the body.You need some cholesterol and triglycerides to help keep your body healthy.
Scientists classify lipoproteins based on their size and the amount of cholesterol, triglycerides, and specific proteins they contain. High-density lipoproteins (HDLs) contain the most protein and are the smallest and most dense of the lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are less dense than HDLs and contain more cholesterol.
Many people have heard of HDL and LDL because they are standard cholesterol tests. However, there are also some other kinds of lipoproteins, such as VLDL. VLDLs are even less dense than LDLs. Unlike LDL, they contain more triglycerides than cholesterol.
The liver releases VLDL particles into the bloodstream. Ultimately, these VLDL particles are transformed intoLDLparticles as they release the triglycerides they carry to other parts of the body.
Causes of High VLDL
Research suggests that triglycerides and VLDL levels might be significant for understanding the increased cardiovascular risk in people with Type 2 diabetes ormetabolic syndrome.
Medical Conditions
Other conditions might also lead to elevated triglycerides and elevated VLDL. These include:
Medications
Certain medications might also raise your triglycerides and your VLDL. Some of these include:
Who Needs to Get Their VLDL Tested?
VLDL is not usually tested alone but can be added to standard lipid and cholesterol tests. Most of the time, VLDL won’t give additional helpful information if you already know your triglyceride number. However, your healthcare provider might order a separate VLDL test to get a fuller picture of your health, especially if your case is unusual. If you don’t take this test, your practitioner will probably still have enough information to guide you in your health treatment.
Adults need regular screenings included on standard cholesterol and lipid tests. These usually include HDL, LDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. You might need more frequent tests if you are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. For example, this might be necessary if you have any of the following risk factors:
Diagnosing High VLDL
VLDL is not usually included in a cholesterol screening, called alipid panel. That’s partly because it’s not as easy to measure VLDL as it is to assess the other components of the cholesterol test, such as LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. But sometimes, your healthcare provider might add it to the rest of the tests included in a cholesterol screen.
VLDL Estimation
A VLDL of greater than 30 mg/dL or 0.77 mmol/L is considered high.
An elevated level of VLDL may be of concern since it may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. A VLDL of greater than 30 mg/dL or 0.77 mmol/L is considered high.
Researchers are still learning more about the exact importance of VLDL and how it fits into cardiovascular health. They are also learning more about whether it might capture different information than the standard blood triglyceride test since these do not measure the same thing.So it’s possible that in the future, more people might also have this test.
What Happens if I Have High VLDL?
It’s normal and healthy to have some VLDL in your body. However, it may increase your risk of certain health problems, such as heart attack and stroke, if your VLDL is too high.
According to the 2018 guidelines from the American Heart Association, evidence shows that VLDL contributes to the process ofatherosclerosis.Both LDL and VLDL are sometimes referred to as “bad cholesterol” because they both increase this risk. (However, this label is a bit of a misnomer, since VLDL contains relatively little cholesterol.) In contrast, HDL seems to help protect against atherosclerosis, which is why it is sometimes called “good cholesterol.”
Atherosclerosis is a disease that causes a kind of plaque to gradually build up in some of your blood vessels. Over time, this can lead to serious potential health problems, such as heart attack or stroke.
Elevated VLDL and triglycerides seem to increase the risk of atherosclerosis. So taking steps to lower your VLDL might theoretically decrease your risk of having such problems.
How Can I Lower My VLDL and Triglycerides?
Because VLDL and triglycerides are so closely related, lowering your triglycerides should also lower your VLDL. You may need lifestyle changes or medical intervention to decrease your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Lifestyle changes are critically important in lowering triglycerides and reducing your overall risk of atherosclerosis-related medical problems. So it’s crucial to work on the following:
Even after making such changes, some people still have a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke. If that’s the case, you might need a medication, like a statin, to help lower your risk. Your clinician will also need to assess whether another medication you are already taking might be increasing your VLDL and your triglycerides.
Summary
Fortunately, a lot of people can take tangible, actionable steps to decrease their VLDL and lower their risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Ask your healthcare provider to ensure you are getting the regular cholesterol and lipid screening you need. It’s essential to keep up on your screenings if you have other risk factors for heart disease. That will give you and your clinician the best information to create your optimal health plan.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feingold KR, Grunfeld C.Introduction to Lipids and Lipoproteins. [Updated 2018 Feb 2]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al, editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000American Association for Clinical Chemistry.VLDL cholesterol.Prenner SB, Mulvey CK, Ferguson JF, et al.Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol associates with coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetes beyond circulating levels of triglycerides.Atherosclerosis. 2014;236(2):244-50. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.07.008Yuan G, Al-Shali KZ, Hegele RA.Hypertriglyceridemia: its etiology, effects and treatment.CMAJ. 2007;176(8):1113–1120. doi:10.1503/cmaj.060963Grundy 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.Circulation. 2019;139:e1082–e114. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000624NIH. US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.VLDL Cholesterol.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Feingold KR, Grunfeld C.Introduction to Lipids and Lipoproteins. [Updated 2018 Feb 2]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al, editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000American Association for Clinical Chemistry.VLDL cholesterol.Prenner SB, Mulvey CK, Ferguson JF, et al.Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol associates with coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetes beyond circulating levels of triglycerides.Atherosclerosis. 2014;236(2):244-50. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.07.008Yuan G, Al-Shali KZ, Hegele RA.Hypertriglyceridemia: its etiology, effects and treatment.CMAJ. 2007;176(8):1113–1120. doi:10.1503/cmaj.060963Grundy 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.Circulation. 2019;139:e1082–e114. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000624NIH. US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.VLDL Cholesterol.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Feingold KR, Grunfeld C.Introduction to Lipids and Lipoproteins. [Updated 2018 Feb 2]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al, editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000American Association for Clinical Chemistry.VLDL cholesterol.Prenner SB, Mulvey CK, Ferguson JF, et al.Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol associates with coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetes beyond circulating levels of triglycerides.Atherosclerosis. 2014;236(2):244-50. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.07.008Yuan G, Al-Shali KZ, Hegele RA.Hypertriglyceridemia: its etiology, effects and treatment.CMAJ. 2007;176(8):1113–1120. doi:10.1503/cmaj.060963Grundy 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.Circulation. 2019;139:e1082–e114. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000624NIH. US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.VLDL Cholesterol.
Feingold KR, Grunfeld C.Introduction to Lipids and Lipoproteins. [Updated 2018 Feb 2]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al, editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000
American Association for Clinical Chemistry.VLDL cholesterol.
Prenner SB, Mulvey CK, Ferguson JF, et al.Very low density lipoprotein cholesterol associates with coronary artery calcification in type 2 diabetes beyond circulating levels of triglycerides.Atherosclerosis. 2014;236(2):244-50. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2014.07.008
Yuan G, Al-Shali KZ, Hegele RA.Hypertriglyceridemia: its etiology, effects and treatment.CMAJ. 2007;176(8):1113–1120. doi:10.1503/cmaj.060963
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.Circulation. 2019;139:e1082–e114. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000624
NIH. US National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus.VLDL Cholesterol.
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