The Apo ratio, also known as the apoB/apoA-I ratio or apoB/apoA1 ratio, is a measure of the balance between the “bad” and the “good” cholesterol. Apo B, correlating to the amount of LDL (the “bad”), carrying cholesterol and fats from the liver to the rest of the body, and Apo A1 (“the good”), correlating to the amount of HDL carrying cholesterol and fats from the rest of the body, back to the liver.
The more good you have in relation to the bad, as in the more HDL in relation to the LDL, the lower the risk of creating plaques and thereby lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
A normal Apo ratio (which is the same as a low ratio) suggests better cardiovascular health, indicating that you have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Measuring the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio is considered to be a better predictor of cardiovascular diseases than traditional measures of cholesterol such as LDL and HDL levels. For this reason, Apo ratio can be relevant when both wanting to identify or evaluate risk, as well as tracking progress of lifestyle changes.
A high Apo ratio suggests an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This is due to the increased transportation of lipids from the liver (through LDL) compared to the transportation of lipids back to the liver (through HDL). The implication of this is a build-up of lipids (including cholesterol) over time in tissues throughout the body. If this build-up happens in arterial walls, plaques may develop, also known as atherosclerosis.
A low Apo ratio suggests a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. This is due to the increased transportation of lipids to the liver (through HDL) compared to the transportation of lipids from the liver to surrounding tissues (through LDL).
This results in the “cleansing” and removal of excess lipids that have been built-up in structures like arterial walls. The increased frequency of removal together with the reduced risk of lipid build–up, decreases the overall risk of developing plaques and atherosclerosis.