ApoB blood test
Apolipoprotein B
In short
A typical adult ApoB result is under 90 mg/dL (desirable). A high ApoB means more cholesterol-carrying particles, which raises heart and stroke risk over time. As with LDL, the right target depends on your overall heart risk. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
Counts the particles that carry 'bad' cholesterol in the blood.
Each particle that can build up in artery walls carries one ApoB protein, so ApoB counts them. This count can predict heart risk better than LDL alone, especially with high triglycerides or diabetes. Doctors often use it when other cholesterol results are borderline.
Is my ApoB high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Adults · desirable | under 90 | mg/dL |
| Adults · desirable | under 0.9 | g/L |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your ApoB is high
A high ApoB means more cholesterol-carrying particles, which raises heart and stroke risk over time. As with LDL, the right target depends on your overall heart risk.
Common reasons
- High LDL or high triglycerides
- Foods high in saturated fat, extra body weight or little activity
- High blood sugar or type 2 diabetes
- Genes: high levels often run in families
- An underactive thyroid
- Less often: kidney disease or an inherited condition with very high cholesterol
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1Does my ApoB agree with my LDL result?
- 2What ApoB target fits my overall heart risk?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read ApoB alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the ApoB blood test?
ApoB (Apolipoprotein B): Counts the particles that carry 'bad' cholesterol in the blood. Each particle that can build up in artery walls carries one ApoB protein, so ApoB counts them. This count can predict heart risk better than LDL alone, especially with high triglycerides or diabetes. Doctors often use it when other cholesterol results are borderline.
What is a normal ApoB level?
For most adults, ApoB is typically under 90 mg/dL (desirable). Some countries print it in g/L, so check the unit first. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a high ApoB mean?
A high ApoB means more cholesterol-carrying particles, which raises heart and stroke risk over time. As with LDL, the right target depends on your overall heart risk. Common reasons include high LDL or high triglycerides; foods high in saturated fat, extra body weight or little activity; high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes; and genes: high levels often run in families. A doctor reads it together with your other results and how you feel.
What should I ask my doctor about my ApoB?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: Does my ApoB agree with my LDL result? What ApoB target fits my overall heart risk?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
Vita: Health Coach on the App StoreSources
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories — Apolipoprotein B, Serum
- ABIM — Laboratory Test Reference Ranges (January 2026)
Stuck on a word? See the medical words. How we choose our sources. More about Vita Health Coach.