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If your latest blood test showed you have healthy levels of lousy LDL cholesterol -- hold off on celebrating for a bit. Standard tests for LDL levels don't assess very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDL) -- both of which can raise your heart disease risk. And a study in JAMA Cardiology found that while your LDL levels seem healthy, you can still have high levels of undetected VLDL and IDL cholesterol.

On top of that, meta-analyses of multiple studies found that even if you get your plain ol' LDL down to a healthy level, you may still be at risk for serious cardiovascular complications. The research showed that almost 23% of patients who achieved recommended LDL levels had a major cardiovascular event within two years.

How can you find out if your levels of VLDL and IDL are in the danger zone? With a blood test that looks for apolipoprotein B (ApoB), a protein found in all forms of LDL.

If your ApoB is high, you want to lower it to below 80 mg/dL. And some guidelines recommend aiming for 65 mg/dL, if you are taking a statin and are 40 to 100 years old.

You can lower it by exercising at least 30 minutes daily, adopting a plant-based diet, eliminating red and processed meats and full-fat dairy, and taking an LDL cholesterol-lowering medication (sometimes two or three are needed). To jumpstart the process, take a bit of the advice in Dr. Mike's books "What to Eat When" and "What to Eat When Cookbook."

Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).

(c)2025 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.