Know your Remnant Chol. Know your health.
Test your Remnant Cholesterol and 100+ other biomarkers in a single blood draw.
Normal range: 0 – 30 mg/dL (lower is better)
Remnant cholesterol is the cholesterol carried by triglyceride-rich particles (VLDL and IDL) left over as your body processes dietary fat. It is calculated as total cholesterol minus HDL minus LDL, capturing atherogenic particles that a standard panel does not name directly. A growing body of evidence links elevated remnant cholesterol to heart disease independently of LDL, and it may help explain residual cardiovascular risk in people whose LDL looks well-controlled. It is especially relevant for people with high triglycerides, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome.
Remnant Chol isn't sold on its own. It comes in a standard lipid panel, about $45. A fuller workup adds Vitamin D ($75), hs-CRP ($69), ApoB ($50), and ApoA1 ($50). You can test Remnant Chol and 100 other biomarkers for $190 as part of an Empirical membership.
Empirical is FSA/HSA eligible, so you can pay with pre-tax dollars. Fast for 8-12 hours beforehand for the most accurate lipid and metabolic results, and expect results in days rather than weeks.
A normal Remnant Chol is 0 – 30 mg/dL. Lower is better.
Remnant cholesterol rises whenever triglyceride-rich particles accumulate. The biggest drivers are excess sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol, along with insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Because it tracks closely with triglycerides, anything that raises triglycerides raises remnant cholesterol.
Hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and certain medications can also push it up. Genetics play a role through inherited differences in how efficiently the body clears these particles.
Remnant cholesterol is highly responsive to lifestyle change. Cutting sugar and refined carbs, reducing alcohol, exercising regularly, and losing excess weight can lower it substantially. Improving triglycerides through diet and activity is the most direct way to bring remnant cholesterol down.
Remnant Chol is drawn at 2,200+ Quest and BioReference patient service centers across the US, so there's usually one within a short drive. Browse the full directory to find the one closest to you.
Test your Remnant Cholesterol and 100+ other biomarkers in a single blood draw.