What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood that provide fuel to help with daily activities, just as a car needs gasoline to function properly. Much of the triglycerides in our bloodstream come from what we eat, although the body also makes triglycerides.
When we eat, our body takes the triglycerides it doesn’t immediately need and stores them in fat cells to be used later as fuel. While triglycerides are important for your body’s normal function, high levels of triglycerides can cause health problems.
1/3 of adults in the United States have an elevated triglyceride level.
- Dietary Habits: Regularly consuming foods high in total fat (especially saturated fat), refined carbohydrates (like white bread), added sugars (including soda and sugar-sweetened beverages), and alcohol can increase levels.
- Medications: Certain medications can contribute to elevated triglycerides.
- Genetic Disorders: High triglyceride levels can be a result of inherited triglyceride disorders.
- Chronic Diseases: The following can increase triglyceride levels:
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance
- Obesity
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Chronic alcohol use
- Normal levels of triglycerides are generally less than 150 mg/dL.
- The normal triglyceride level for children 0-9 years old is less than 75 mg/dL. For children 10-19 years old, the normal level is less than 90 mg/dL.
- A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is considered “high” and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, pancreatitis, stroke, and other health concerns.
- Very high triglyceride levels (≥ 500 mg/dL) can irritate the pancreas, causing a condition called pancreatitis, which can present as severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and may lead to other serious health problems.
- Your clinician can check your triglyceride level with a simple blood test, which is usually a part of a full lipid panel test that will also report your Total Cholesterol, LDL-Cholesterol, HDL-Cholesterol, and non- HDL-Cholesterol.
- Levels are best measured after fasting for 8-12 hours before the blood sample is collected. Eating can temporarily affect the results.
- Normal levels of triglycerides are less than 150 mg/dL while fasting (no food except water for 8-12 hours before the blood sample is collected) or less than 175 mg/dL while non-fasting.
Diet
Making adjustments to your diet can help lower triglyceride levels. Here are some suggestions:
Balance your meals: Limit starchy foods (like pasta, rice, potatoes, corn, and peas) to small portions. Focus on eating more vegetables than fruit. Limit fruit juice, sweets, and desserts because they are high in sugar.
Cut back on unhealthy fats: Avoid trans fats and reduce saturated fats. Limit processed foods, fast food, fried foods, red meat (like beef and pork), whole milk, and ice cream.
Add more fiber: Fiber helps you feel full and prevents constipation. Include green, yellow, and orange vegetables, brown rice, and whole grains like oatmeal in your meals.
Increase foods with omega-3s: Eat more fish like salmon and tuna. 2 servings of low-mercury fish per week is recommended.
Read nutrition labels: Use labels to guide portion sizes and track calories, fats, and sugars.
Limit alcohol: Drink alcohol in moderation — no more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.
*If triglyceride levels exceed 1000 mg/dL, complete abstinence is recommended to mitigate the risk of pancreatitis. This condition occurs when digestive enzymes, which aid in food breakdown, instead begin attacking the pancreas itself, potentially leading to serious complications.
Exercise
Exercise is not only effective in lowering triglyceride levels but also plays a crucial role in improving cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Here are some exercise recommendations:
- Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise, five times a week.
- Activities to try: walking your dog, biking, swimming, dancing, playing a sport, going to the gym, or even small changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
National Triglycerides Day, observed annually on March 28, is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of maintaining healthy triglyceride levels for overall heart and metabolic health. Triglycerides, a type of fat found in your blood, play a crucial role in providing energy, but elevated levels can increase the risk of heart disease, pancreatitis, stroke, and other health concerns.
This day encourages individuals to learn more about their triglyceride levels, adopt heart-healthy lifestyles, and seek guidance from healthcare professionals. By prioritizing education and action, National Triglycerides Day aims to empower people to take control of their health and reduce the risks associated with high triglycerides.
Resources
Lipid Insights Podcasts
- The Role of Nutrition-Related Clinical Trials in Forming Dietary Recommendations for Health and Treatment of Diseases
- Listen on Apple Podcasts
- Listen on Spotify
- Nutrition Interventions for Adults with Dyslipidemia
- Listen on Apple Podcasts
- Listen on Spotify
Find a Clinician
Additional tips:
- Review the provider database on your health system or insurance website.
- Use keywords such as “lipid clinic”, “lipidology”, “prevention”, “preventive cardiology”, or “cholesterol”, to narrow your search.
Learn More
Learn more about the different triglyceride disorders:
- Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome (FCS)
- Lipodystrophies
- Pediatric Lipodystrophy
- Hypertriglyceridemia
- Pediatric Hypertriglyceridemia
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