Lipoprotein Fractionation Panel (Ultracentrifugation)
A cholesterol breakdown that measures LDL directly instead of estimating it, useful when triglycerides are high.
Consider this test if:
- High or borderline triglycerides, where a calculated LDL becomes unreliable
- Building a cardiovascular baseline or rechecking after a diet, exercise, or statin change
- Family history of high cholesterol or early heart disease
- Sorting out metabolic syndrome alongside weight, blood pressure, or blood sugar concerns
- A prior calculated LDL looked inconsistent with the rest of your lipid results
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Results delivered to your dashboard · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
Fast 9 to 12 hours before the draw, since triglycerides and the calculated VLDL rise sharply after eating. Water and prescription medications are fine. Results reflect recent diet and alcohol, so keep habits typical in the days before testing for a representative reading.
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What this test is for
This panel reports total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and LDL, and adds VLDL, the triglyceride-rich particles that carry fat through the blood. The distinguishing feature is method: ultracentrifugation physically separates the lipoprotein fractions, so LDL is measured directly rather than estimated by the Friedewald equation used in a standard lipid panel. That matters most when triglycerides are elevated or LDL runs low, the exact situations where the calculated value drifts off. High LDL and triglycerides raise cardiovascular risk, and the HDL-to-total ratio plus VLDL help flag metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
If your question is particle count rather than cholesterol mass, ApoB or the ion-mobility and NMR fractionation panels count atherogenic particles directly; this panel measures how much cholesterol each fraction carries.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 5 biomarkers
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
LDL carries cholesterol from your liver into circulation, and when it lingers too long it works its way into artery walls and seeds plaque. This measurement (serum/plasma LDL cholesterol by mass concentration) is the standard baseline for cardiovascular risk, useful for tracking against diet, exercise, statins, or other lipid-lowering strategies over time. High LDL usually shows up with no symptoms at all, which is exactly why people test it before it becomes a family history story instead of a data point.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass concentration
Pre-beta lipoprotein is the older electrophoresis-based name for VLDL, the particle your liver packs with triglycerides to ship energy out to tissues. High levels flag triglyceride overload, often from excess carbs, alcohol, insulin resistance, or poorly controlled diabetes, and they add to the atherogenic particle burden that drives plaque buildup. This test has largely been replaced by direct triglyceride and lipid panel measurements, but it's still useful for baselining fat metabolism or cross-checking older lab results against current lipid patterns.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Mass 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 Fast, dashboard-delivered results
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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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Year-round clinician support
Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
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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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