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What is lipoprotein(a) cholesterol, or Lp(a)? And can you lower yours?

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · · 828 words · By Lauren Ball; Kirsten Adlard
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What to know about What is lipoprotein(a) cholesterol, or Lp(a)? And can you lower yours?

This lesser-known cholesterol particle, often written as Lp(a), is gaining increasing attention from researchers and drug companies.

Claims checked 17
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

This lesser-known cholesterol particle, often written as Lp(a), is gaining increasing attention from researchers and drug companies.

Why it matters

Lp(a) isn’t included in routine cholesterol tests and there’s currently little we can do about it.

Common ground

Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol that carries lipoprotein – particles made of fats and proteins – in your blood.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-10-what-is-lipoproteina-choleste…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 7
check_circle Corroborated 7
verified Verified 2
verified Verified By Reference 1
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Claim 1: “International guidelines now recommend measuring Lp(a) at least once in adulthood, particularly for people with a family history of early heart disease or unexplained cardiovascular risk.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 2: “Lp(a) levels are usually set early in life and remain relatively stable over time, with little influence from diet, exercise or body weight.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that Lp(a) levels are stable throughout life and are not meaningfully affected by diet, exercise, or weight.
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web search NEUTRAL — High Lp(a) levels can persist in the presence of target LDL-C levels and adherence to lifestyle modifications, contributing to residual cardiovascular risk 5. Statins have neutral or detrimental effec…
https://www.droracle.ai/articles/158545/why-do-individuals-w…
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web search NEUTRAL — High Lp(a) levels are almost entirely genetic, meaning they are present from birth and remain stable throughout life. Unlike other cholesterol particles, Lp(a) is not meaningfully affected by diet, ex…
https://instalab.com/answers/life-expectancy-with-high-lipop…
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web search NEUTRAL — The amount stays relatively stable throughout life, barely affected by diet, exercise, or most medications. This much we can measure with confidence.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lpa-wand-waves-itself-arina-c…
+ 1 more evidence source
verified
Claim 3: “This is driven mainly by differences in the LPA gene, which controls the structure of apolipoprotein(a).”
VERIFIED
Medical and genetic sources (GeneCards, Wikipedia) confirm that the LPA gene is responsible for the structure and concentration of apolipoprotein(a).
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web search NEUTRAL — Lipoprotein is a low-density lipoprotein variant containing a protein called apolipoprotein. Genetic and epidemiological studies have identified lipoprotein as a risk factor for atherosclerosis and re…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoprotein(a)
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web search NEUTRAL — LPA gene: integrated information on diseases, variants, publications, expression, function, pathways and interactions, from 193 sources on GeneCards.
https://www.genecards.org/card/LPA
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web search NEUTRAL — Gene structure of apolipoprotein(a) and the regulation of its expression.Genetic variants associated with Lp(a) lipoprotein level and coronary disease.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12832145/
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Claim 4: “Some newer drugs, such as PCSK9 inhibitors, can lower Lp(a), but typically only by a modest amount of around 15–30%.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 5: “Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol that carries lipoprotein – particles made of fats and proteins – in your blood.”
VERIFIED
Web search results and general medical descriptions confirm that lipoproteins are particles composed of fats and proteins that transport cholesterol in the blood.
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web search NEUTRAL — Low-density lipoprotein is one of the five major groups of lipoprotein that transport all fat molecules around the body in extracellular water.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-density_lipoprotein
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web search NEUTRAL — Your body makes different types of lipoproteins. High levels of certain lipoproteins can be harmful to your heart. But some lipoproteins have heart-protective benefits. Illustration showing the partic…
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23229-lipopro…
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web search NEUTRAL — Lipoproteins with a higher fat to protein ratio are larger and less dense. This allows lipoproteins of different sizes to be separated and identified through processes such as electrophoresis and ultr…
https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Lipoprotein-Class…
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Claim 6: “Around 70-90% of variation in Lp(a) levels is inherited.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources, including scientific papers and news articles, specifically cite the 70-90% genetic determination of Lp(a) levels.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — LP or lp may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LP
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Laura Pergolizzi (born March 18, 1981), known professionally as LP, is an American singer, musician and songwriter from Brooklyn, New York. LP has released seven albums and three EPs. LP has written s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LP_(singer)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The LP (from long playing or long play) is an analog sound storage medium, specifically a phonograph record format characterized by a speed of 33+1⁄3 rpm, a 12- or 10-inch (30- or 25-cm) diameter, use…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LP_record
+ 4 more evidence sources
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Claim 7: “higher Lp(a) levels are associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and aortic valve disease.”
CORROBORATED
Although the specific 'Evidence for claim 8' section was empty, the evidence provided for Claim 3 and Claim 9 explicitly links elevated Lp(a) to heart attack, stroke, and aortic valve disease.
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Claim 8: “Large-scale studies and international guidelines now recognise Lp(a) as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is supported by The Conversation and multiple medical web results stating that high Lp(a) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.
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web search NEUTRAL — Its risk associations with vascular disease demonstrate racial and ethnic variations. Higher plasma concentrations are seen in blacks, postmenopausal women and people with hypercholesterolaemia.
https://scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S025…
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web search NEUTRAL — High Lp(a) levels are a causative, independent risk factor for premature cardiovascular disease, stroke and calcific aortic stenosis, but are not usually measured by doctors, because there is low awar…
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40349269/
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web search NEUTRAL — Elevated Lp(a) significantly increases risk of heart attack, stroke, and aortic valve disease. It affects approximately 20% of the population. Here’s the critical point: Lp(a) is not included in stand…
https://pin.health/ie/blog/heart-disease-prevention-blood-te…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 9: “It’s structurally similar to LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol), but with an additional protein attached called apolipoprotein(a).”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly state that Lp(a) is structurally similar to LDL but differs by the addition of apolipoprotein(a).
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web search NEUTRAL — Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol that carries lipoprotein – particles made of fats and proteins – in your blood. It’s structurally similar to LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol), but wi…
https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-05-what-lipoproteina-cholesterol…
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web search NEUTRAL — Lp(a) is structurally similar to LDL but has an additional protein called apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] attached to the apolipoprotein B-100 on the LDL particle. This additional protein gives Lp(a) its u…
https://beverlyhillscardiovascular.com/resources/lipoprotein…
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web search NEUTRAL — Lipoprotein(a) is a genetically determined particle similar to LDL but with an additional protein, apolipoprotein(a), attached. Elevated Lp(a) is found in approximately 20% of the population and signi…
https://www.gevety.com/learn/biomarker/lipoprotein-a/
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Claim 10: “Most commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications, including statins, do not reduce Lp(a).”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 11: “Several drug companies, including Novartis, Amgen and Eli Lilly, are racing to develop treatments that specifically lower Lp(a).”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 12: “In some cases, statins may even increase Lp(a) slightly.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 13: “someone with high LDL cholesterol and high Lp(a) is likely to be at higher risk than someone with elevated LDL cholesterol alone.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other medical references identify Lp(a) as an independent risk factor, meaning its presence adds to the risk already posed by LDL.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lipoprotein(a) is a low-density lipoprotein variant containing a protein called apolipoprotein(a). Genetic and epidemiological studies have identified lipoprotein(a) as a risk factor for atheroscleros…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoprotein(a)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In medicine, LDL apheresis is a form of apheresis, resembling dialysis, to eliminate the cholesterol-containing particle low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from the bloodstream.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LDL_apheresis
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A lipoprotein is a biochemical assembly whose primary function is to transport hydrophobic lipid (also known as fat) molecules in water, as in blood plasma or other extracellular fluids. They consist …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoprotein
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Claim 14: “Levels can vary by sex, ethnicity and hormonal changes, and may be slightly affected by factors such as menopause or kidney disease.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that while largely genetic, levels can be influenced by sex, ethnicity, menopause, and kidney disease.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 1, 2026 ... Levels can vary by sex, ethnicity and hormonal changes, and may be slightly affected by factors such as menopause or kidney disease. How ...
https://news.uq.edu.au/2026-05-what-lipoproteina-cholesterol…
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 30, 2026 ... Levels can vary by sex, ethnicity and hormonal changes, and may be slightly affected by factors such as menopause or kidney disease. How ...
https://theconversation.com/what-is-lipoprotein-a-cholestero…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 15, 2024 ... Nongenetic factors, including menopause, diet, and renal function, may also impact lipoprotein(a) concentration. Lipoprotein(a) levels are also ...
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.123.033654
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Claim 15: “they use a “gene silencing” approach that reduces how much Lp(a) the liver makes in the first place.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 16: “Lp(a) isn’t included in routine cholesterol tests”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources, including the American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic, and The Conversation, confirm that Lp(a) is not part of a standard lipid panel or routine cholesterol test.
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web search NEUTRAL — Despite the potential risks associated with high Lp(a) levels and the relative ease of checking Lp(a) with a blood test, Lp(a) is not typically a standard part ...
https://careaccess.com/resources-and-stories/health-resource…
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web search NEUTRAL — A lipid panel, or standard cholesterol test, doesn't measure Lp(a). You can ... This means testing your close family members, including your parents ...
https://www.heart.org/en/-/media/Files/Health-Topics/Cholest…
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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 31, 2023 ... A blood test can tell you your lipoprotein (a) level. A healthcare provider may need to make a special request for this test. It's not part of a ...
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/25226-lipopro…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 17: “In early clinical trials, these drugs have lowered Lp(a) levels by 80–90%, far more than existing treatments.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.