Advanced Cholesterol Panel (Lipids, Apo B, Lipo A and Cholesterol Particle Size)
A fuller read on cardiovascular risk, counting the atherogenic particles and inherited risk that a standard lipid panel misses.
Consider this test if:
- Family history of early heart attack, stroke, or high cholesterol
- A standard lipid panel looked normal but cardiovascular risk feels underexplained
- Establishing a detailed baseline before or during statin, ezetimibe, or PCSK9 therapy
- Tracking whether diet, training, or medication is lowering your atherogenic particle burden
- Never having had Lp(a) measured, which most people only need to check once
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 1-2 weeks · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
Fasting 9 to 12 hours is generally recommended for accurate triglycerides and calculated LDL; water and routine medications are fine. Avoid alcohol and heavy, fatty meals the night before, since both distort triglycerides. Lp(a) is largely genetic and stable, so a single lifetime measurement usually settles it.
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What this test is for
This panel pairs a standard lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, calculated LDL, and ratios) with three measures that sharpen cardiovascular risk: ApoB, lipoprotein particle subfractions by ion mobility, and Lp(a). ApoB counts the number of atherogenic particles driving plaque, which often reveals risk that LDL cholesterol alone understates, since two people with the same LDL can carry very different particle counts. LDL particle number and size (the small, dense pattern versus large, buoyant) refine that picture, and Lp(a) captures a largely inherited risk factor that routine cholesterol testing does not measure at all.
This is the broad, all-in-one advanced lipid workup. If you only need the particle subfractions, the standalone Lipoprotein Fractionation (Ion Mobility) panel covers that; if your question is metabolic, the extended panels adding GlycA, insulin, or glucose are the better fit.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 14 biomarkers
ApoB counts the actual number of atherogenic particles (LDL, VLDL, and their remnants) circulating in your blood, since each one carries exactly one ApoB molecule on its surface. It's a more accurate readout of cardiovascular risk than LDL cholesterol, because LDL-C measures the cholesterol cargo inside those particles but misses how many particles are actually out there depositing it into artery walls. Testing it matters for anyone building a baseline on heart disease risk, tracking response to diet or statin therapy, or with a family history of early cardiovascular events despite a normal-looking LDL.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Ratio
HDL cholesterol measures the fraction of cholesterol carried by particles that pull excess cholesterol out of artery walls and ferry it back to the liver for disposal, a process called reverse cholesterol transport. Low HDL removes less cholesterol from circulation and tracks with higher cardiovascular risk, often alongside high triglycerides, excess visceral fat, insulin resistance, or a sedentary lifestyle. Checking it alongside ApoB and triglycerides gives a fuller risk picture than total cholesterol alone, and it's a useful marker for tracking how exercise, weight loss, or alcohol reduction shift your lipid profile over time.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
Large HDL particles measure the biggest, most buoyant subclass of HDL, the ones most efficient at pulling cholesterol out of artery walls and carrying it back to the liver for disposal. A high count generally tracks with better cardiovascular protection and often rises with aerobic exercise, weight loss, and moderate alcohol intake, while a low count despite normal total HDL can mean your HDL isn't doing its job well. This is most useful alongside ApoB and Lp(a) for people building a fuller picture of cardiovascular risk, or for tracking whether training and diet changes are actually improving your lipid profile rather than just moving the total HDL number.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
LDL cholesterol refers to the cholesterol carried by LDL particles, the ones that lodge in artery walls and seed plaque. High LDL is the classic driver of atherosclerosis and a core input for cardiovascular risk, useful as a baseline and for tracking response to diet, exercise, or statin therapy. Because it's calculated rather than directly measured, it loses accuracy when triglycerides run high, which is when a direct LDL or ApoB test tells you more.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Method
- Calculated
- Measures
- Mass concentration
LDL particle number counts the actual number of LDL particles circulating in your blood, not just the cholesterol packed inside them. Each particle can lodge in an artery wall and seed plaque, so particle count often predicts cardiovascular risk more precisely than LDL cholesterol, especially when the two disagree (a common pattern with insulin resistance, high triglycerides, or metabolic syndrome). Test it to get a real baseline on atherogenic risk or to see whether diet, exercise, or medication changes are actually lowering the number of particles driving plaque, not just the cholesterol they carry.“}
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
LDL particle pattern classifies your LDL into Pattern A (larger, buoyant particles) or Pattern B (small, dense particles that slip into artery walls more easily and oxidize faster). Two people with identical LDL cholesterol can carry very different cardiovascular risk depending on which pattern dominates, which matters if you have a strong family history of heart disease, high triglycerides, or insulin resistance. It pairs well with ApoB and a lipid panel to clarify whether your cholesterol number is telling the whole story or hiding a riskier particle profile underneath.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Identity
This measures the average size of your LDL particles, not just how much LDL you're carrying. Smaller, dense LDL particles slip into artery walls more easily and oxidize faster, driving plaque formation, while larger, buoyant particles are comparatively less harmful, so two people with identical LDL cholesterol can carry very different cardiovascular risk. Pair it with ApoB and Lp(a) to see whether your cardiovascular risk is being underestimated by standard cholesterol testing, or track it as you change diet, carbs, or training to see your particle profile shift toward the less atherogenic pattern.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Length (per cell)
- Specimen
- Serum
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a particle built onto LDL that carries extra plaque-forming and clotting potential, and unlike most cholesterol markers, it's set almost entirely by genetics rather than diet or exercise. High Lp(a) raises cardiovascular risk independent of LDL or ApoB, which is why it matters most for people with early heart disease in the family or unexplained cardiovascular events despite normal cholesterol. Because it's largely inherited, one test usually tells you your lifetime number, making it a check-once marker that reshapes how aggressively you manage everything else.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Non-HDL cholesterol is total cholesterol minus HDL, which leaves every artery-clogging particle behind: LDL, VLDL, and their remnants. It correlates closely with ApoB and often predicts cardiovascular risk better than LDL alone, especially when triglycerides run high or LDL looks deceptively normal. Useful as a baseline cardiovascular risk marker, for tracking response to diet or statin therapy, or for making sense of a lipid panel that doesn't quite add up.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
Small LDL particles measures the dense, cholesterol-poor LDL subtype that slips into artery walls more easily and lingers longer than large, buoyant LDL. Elevated levels often appear alongside high triglycerides, low HDL, and insulin resistance, a pattern common with metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, or a diet high in refined carbs, and one that standard LDL cholesterol can completely miss. Testing this is useful for anyone with a strong cardiovascular family history, borderline LDL but nagging risk factors, or a need to see whether carb reduction, weight loss, or exercise is actually shifting particle quality, not just particle count.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Total cholesterol adds up everything your blood carries: LDL, HDL, and a fraction of your triglycerides. It's a decent starting snapshot but a blunt one, since it can't tell you whether the load is mostly protective HDL or the LDL particles that drive plaque, which is why it's best read alongside ApoB or an LDL/HDL breakdown rather than on its own. Useful as a baseline cardiovascular check or to track how diet, weight change, or medication are shifting your lipid picture over time.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
Triglycerides measure the fat circulating in your blood after your body packages up unused calories, mostly from carbs and alcohol, for storage. High levels signal that your liver is overwhelmed with fuel it can't burn, a pattern common with excess sugar, alcohol, weight gain, or insulin resistance, and one that drives cardiovascular risk independent of LDL. Pair it with fasting insulin and HDL to see the full metabolic picture, and track it when you cut sugar, alcohol, or refined carbs to see if the intervention is actually working.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 1-2 weeks
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
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