Lipoprotein(a) optimal range and reference range
Compiled by Alina Radu, founder of Sera, from the published sources below · Last reviewed November 9, 2026
Sera's bands for Lipoprotein(a):
- Optimal 0 – 75 nmol/L (0 – 30 mg/dL); sufficient 0 – 125 nmol/L (0 – 50 mg/dL); out of range above 125 nmol/L.
Evidence grade: Established clinical threshold. A band edge that corresponds to a recognised diagnostic, risk or treatment threshold from a major clinical guideline or public-health body.
All units
| Unit | Optimal | Sufficient | Out of range |
|---|---|---|---|
| nmol/L | 0 – 75 | 0 – 125 | above 125 |
| mg/dL | 0 – 30 | 0 – 50 | above 50 |
| g/L | 0 – 0.3 | 0 – 0.5 | above 0.5 |
Bounded on the high side only — a low result is not treated as out of range. Risk rises with the level; a low Lp(a) is the favourable direction.
What the evidence says
The optimal band ends at 75 nmol/L (30 mg/dL, 0.30 g/L), below which the EAS consensus rules risk out, and the acceptable band at 125 nmol/L (50 mg/dL, 0.50 g/L), above which it rules risk in. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline uses the same upper figure as a risk-enhancing factor. Lp(a) is largely genetically determined and stable through life, so a single measurement is usually sufficient. g/L and mg/dL are the same mass measurement on different scales (1 g/L = 100 mg/dL). The nmol/L and mass figures are paired cut-offs from different assays, not conversions of one another.
Sources
- Leistungsverzeichnis Lipoprotein(a) FB-PÄ 6 LPa OE — Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Zentrale Einrichtung Klinische Chemie, 2022 · Laboratory / reference-interval sourceGerman university laboratory directory, revision of 11 March 2022. It states Lp(a) mass in mg/dl with g/l in brackets and links values above about 30 mg/dl (0,3 g/l) with higher atherosclerosis risk, which equals Sera's optimal upper edge of 0.30 g/L. It also cites the EAS recommended range of below 50 mg/dl. The laboratory itself now reports in nmol/l.
- Lipoprotein(a) in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and aortic stenosis: a European Atherosclerosis Society consensus statement — European Atherosclerosis Society — European Heart Journal, 2022 · Professional societySuggests Lp(a) cut-offs to rule risk out below 30 mg/dL (75 nmol/L) and to rule it in above 50 mg/dL (125 nmol/L), with the range between as a grey zone. The two edges Sera's bands end on.
- Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia — American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association, 2026 · Clinical guidelineLDL goals set by cardiovascular risk: below 100 mg/dL at borderline or intermediate risk, below 70 at high risk, and below 55 with non-HDL below 85 at very high risk. Replaces the 2018 cholesterol guideline, and is the reason Sera's LDL band is a review aid and not a treatment goal.
What Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] measures
A cholesterol-carrying particle whose level is set mostly by your genes.
An independent risk factor for heart disease. Because it is largely genetic, it is hard to change with lifestyle alone.