What Is ApoB?
To understand apolipoprotein B, it’s important to first understand how cholesterol moves through the body.
Cholesterol, all by itself, cannot dissolve in the blood. It must be carried through the bloodstream by transporters called lipoproteins.
Lipoproteins = Lipids + Proteins
Lipoproteins got their name because they are made up of fats (lipids), such as cholesterol and triglycerides, and proteins.
ApoBs | Part of Artery-Clogging Lipoproteins
ApoBs are proteins found in lipoprotein particles that are artery-clogging.
The apoB-containing lipoprotein particles that are the most damaging to our arteries include not only LDL cholesterol but also remnants of chylomicrons and VLDL (very low density lipoproteins). All three– LDL, VLDL, and chylomicrons – promote atherosclerosis.
What Is Atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis is a disease caused in large part by the build-up of excess cholesterol within the artery wall, which leads to cholesterol-rich deposits called plaque. When a plaque bursts or ruptures, blood clots form. They’re dangerous because they can block blood flow to vital organs like the heart and brain.
Atherosclerosis, therefore, is the underlying disease process that leads to nearly all heart attacks and most strokes.
ApoB and Atherosclerosis
Now, let’s get back to apoB.
Since each apoB-containing lipoprotein particle has one apoB molecule, “measuring apoB levels in fasting blood gives us a good approximation of the total number of atherogenic lipoproteins in the blood. The greater the number, the greater the risk of more cholesterol ending up in the artery wall and, in the long term, the greater the risk of a heart attack,” explains Dr. Jay Kenney, Nutrition Research Director at the Pritikin Longevity Center.
In fact, research 1,2 has shown that apoB may be a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than LDL cholesterol.
Two Types of ApoB
Keep in mind, too, that there are two types of apoB. Both are bad news for our arteries. One type is made in the intestines. It’s called apoB-48, and its lipoprotein partner is chylomicrons. Another type is made in the liver. It’s called apoB-100. Its partners are primarily LDL and VLDL.
How To Lower ApoBs
“Consuming less dietary fat and cholesterol and many more fiber-rich, whole plant foods, which is essentially the Pritikin Eating Plan, will greatly reduce the amount of chylomicrons and their atherogenic, apoB-48-containing lipoproteins in the blood,” states Dr. Kenney.
“This same type of dietary pattern will also reduce the liver’s production of apoB-100- containing lipoproteins, which includes VLDLs, LDLs, and IDLs, or intermediate density lipoproteins.”
Fasting Blood Tests | What Shows Up, What Doesn’t
ApoB-100-containing lipoproteins remain in the blood far longer than chylomicrons and their remnants, which means it’s apoB-100s and their lipids LDL, IDL, and VLDL that show up in fasting blood tests, not chylomicrons.
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