Expert Answer
What is a good ApoB level?
By Arun Agrahri Last reviewed
Quick Answer
There's no single "normal" - the experts who cover ApoB argue for lower than standard labs call normal. Attia targets roughly 60 mg/dL for people in their late 30s-40s and points to the much lower levels seen in children (around 20-40 mg/dL) as the biological benchmark. ApoB counts atherogenic particles, and lowering it is a physician-guided decision.
Strong Consensus
on ApoB overall
What the Panel Says
Calls ApoB a more accurate risk marker than LDL-C because it counts all atherogenic particles. Targets ~60 mg/dL for late 30s/40s. Cites childhood-low ApoB (~20-40 mg/dL) as the benchmark, reached with diet plus pharmacology under physician supervision.
Recommends advanced lipid testing (ApoB and Lp(a)) over standard LDL. Notes that many heart-attack victims have "normal" LDL, so a normal LDL does not mean a safe ApoB.
Treats ApoB particle burden as the metric that drives atherosclerosis risk, not the cholesterol level.
Surfaces ApoB as a key, trackable risk factor to measure early in life (in conversation with Attia).
No direct ApoB coverage in the analyzed videos.
Detailed Answer
There is no one universal "good" number. The experts who cover ApoB agree on the direction: aim lower than the lab's "normal" flag. ApoB counts the NUMBER of atherogenic particles instead of the cholesterol mass they carry. Those particles are LDL, VLDL and Lp(a). Attia, Patrick and Huberman read that as a fuller picture of heart risk than LDL-C.
Attia is the most precise. He wants early and hard lowering, and he anchors it to two numbers. Children run about 20-40 mg/dL, which he treats as the safety and efficacy benchmark.
For people in their late 30s and early 40s he works to a ceiling around 60 mg/dL. His reasoning: ApoB causes atherosclerosis, and he cites Mendelian randomization for that. Standard 10-year risk calculators lean on age and sex and skip the disease itself.
So measure ApoB and act early. He is clear that hitting a low target usually takes diet plus medication under a doctor's care. He names statins and ezetimibe, plus bempedoic acid and PCSK9 inhibitors.
Hyman gets to the same place from the metabolic side. Advanced lipid particle analysis (ApoB and Lp(a)) beats a standard panel. A "normal" LDL can hide an unsafe particle count, and many heart-attack victims have normal LDL.
Two honest caveats. ApoB often is not on a basic cholesterol panel, so you may have to ask for advanced lipid testing. Your target is your physician's call, and so is whether to add a drug.
Related Questions
What ApoB level do experts consider optimal?
Attia targets roughly 60 mg/dL for people in their late 30s-40s and cites childhood-low levels (~20-40 mg/dL) as the benchmark - lower than most labs flag as normal. Targets are individual and physician-guided.
Is ApoB better than LDL cholesterol?
Yes, say the experts who cover it. ApoB counts atherogenic particles instead of estimating cholesterol mass. Attia, Patrick and Hyman call it a more accurate risk marker than LDL-C.
Can a normal LDL still mean high ApoB?
Yes. Hyman notes many heart-attack victims have "normal" LDL. That is why he and Attia push for measuring ApoB instead of trusting a standard panel.
How do you lower ApoB?
Diet (less saturated fat and refined carbohydrate) helps but is often not enough to reach optimal targets per Attia, who adds physician-prescribed medication. Any drug decision belongs with your doctor.
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