Nick Norwitz argues that Lp(a) lab values matter less than metabolic context. A cardiology trial found lowering Lp(a) didn't reduce heart attacks or strokes, and people with low waist-to-hip ratios show no increased cardiovascular risk even with high Lp(a). Focus on abdominal fat and nutrition instead.
If you care about your heart health, you should know your Lp. But I'm going to tell you something your doctor won't. Your Lp value on your lab report might not mean as much as the factors that exist around it. In fact, a major recent cardiology trial found that lowering Lp did not improve heart attacks and strokes. What really matters are things like how much abdominal fat you carry and your nutrition status. For example, research shows that in people with low waist-to-hip ratios, high Lp is not significantly associated with increased cardiovascular risk. And on nutrition, some researchers, including 2-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, think Lp is like an evolutionary doppelganger for vitamin C, and that high-dose vitamin C might protect your heart against Lp. Now, if you're interested in learning more about this, I have a masterclass on Lp that my doctor friends have called a must-read for every medical student. But the moral of the story is it's less about your exact number and more about the metabolic environment it's swimming in.
