Overview
Health Goals Impacted 2
This item supports, tracks, or is required for the following health goals:
The most reliable lipid marker for insulin resistance.
When cells become resistant to insulin, the liver packages excess sugar into Triglycerides, while HDL ("good cholesterol") levels drop. A ratio > 2.0 indicates you are insulin resistant, regardless of what your fasting glucose says.
Optimizing this ratio (aiming for < 1.0) usually requires reducing refined carbohydrates and increasing high-quality fats and exercise.
Proxy for LDL particle size.
There is a strong inverse correlation between this ratio and LDL particle size. A ratio > 2.0 (mg/dL) predicts the presence of small, dense LDL (Pattern B) with high accuracy.
Optimizing this ratio (aiming for < 1.0) confirms that your metabolic health is supporting a healthy, non-atherogenic lipid profile.