They are the most common type of fat in the body. Triglycerides are necessary for health but in excess amounts, they may be harmful and may increase the risk of heart disease. For this reason, scientists think that triglyceride levels may be an important measure of metabolic health.
Lauri Wright, a registered dietitian, member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , and an assistant professor of nutrition at the University of South Florida. Most of the fats we eat, such as natural oils — both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — animal fats and trans fats, are triglycerides. While both healthy and unhealthy fats contribute to triglyceride levels, trans fats like margarine and saturated fats like fatty red meats, poultry skin, lard and some full-fat dairy products can elevate triglyceride levels more than leaner cuts of meat and unsaturated fats like olive oil, avocados, nuts and low-fat dairy products.
Refined, simple carbohydrates and alcohol can also increase triglyceride levels, said Wright. High triglyceride levels can also be a side effect of medications like beta blockers, birth control pills, steroids and diuretics, according to the Mayo Clinic. Triglycerides and cholesterol both belong to the "fat family" also called lipids but have different functions, said Wright. Cholesterol is waxy and odorless. The liver produces it from animal foods. According to the Cleveland Clinic , cholesterol and triglycerides in their pure forms cannot mix with blood.
As a result, the liver sends them out with proteins in packages called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins move cholesterol and triglycerides throughout the bloodstream.
There are three types of lipoproteins, according to the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. LDL, also called LDL cholesterol, is considered the "bad" kind of lipoprotein because it contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries.
Scientists are not sure how or why triglycerides cause plaque buildup, but they do know that people with high levels of triglycerides are more likely to have high LDL levels. When plaque builds up in the arteries, artery walls can harden or become thick, which is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease. According to the National Institutes of Health NIH , women are especially at risk of heart disease if they have high triglyceride levels.
Scientists think that high triglyceride levels can also indicate other conditions that increase the risk of these diseases, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome. They are our main source of energy and are essential for good health.
But if you have too much in your blood, this can raise the risk of heart disease. High triglycerides are known to contribute to the risk of heart disease and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and very high triglyceride levels can cause serious medical conditions such as pancreatitis.
Triglycerides are our main source of energy and, as they are so important, we have two supplies: one from our diet and one made by the liver. When we eat foods containing triglycerides, such as meat, dairy products, cooking oils and fats, they are absorbed by our intestines and packaged into parcels of fats and protein called chylomicrons a type of lipoprotein.
These carry the triglycerides in the blood stream to our tissues to be used for energy straight away, or stored for later. The body also makes its own supply of triglycerides in the liver. This form is carried in a different type of lipoprotein known as VLDL cholesterol. Triglycerides are measured with a simple blood test. Triglyceride levels should be measured when you have a cholesterol test as they can also contribute to your risk of developing heart disease, and other disease of the heart and blood vessels.
The triglyceride test measures the triglycerides carried in chylomicrons and VLDL cholesterol. National guidelines in the UK no longer recommend a fasting blood test where you fast for a period of time before your blood test. If your doctor has asked you to fast for a test usually for hours then your triglyceride level should be below 1.
This "fasting test" number is lower because only the triglycerides made by the liver and carried in the VLDL cholesterol will be measured — not the triglycerides you get from food. As you have not eaten, there will be no chylomicrons present in your blood. Triglycerides can be raised due to what doctors refer to as 'primary' and 'secondary' causes, explained below. Some people have a combination of both. High triglycerides are often a sign of other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels.
If healthy lifestyle changes aren't enough to control high triglycerides, your doctor might recommend:. If your doctor prescribes medication to lower your triglycerides, take the medication as prescribed. And remember the significance of the healthy lifestyle changes you've made.
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