You probably hear about cholesterol often, but there is another number that appears on your blood test that is frequently ignored : triglycerides.You have probably seen the word. Your doctor may have mentioned it briefly. It may sound technical, just more distracting medical mumbo-jumbo. But it’s not something that you can risk avoiding. They play a key aspect in your health and at certain levels, they are beneficial to you. 

However, there are consequences when your triglycerides become too high, and they will act as a silent killer. Like cholesterol, they develop slowly, often with little to no symptoms, until they no longer remain silent, and you have heart disease, stroke or another unexpected warning.

So, what are triglycerides? Why do these rise even when you believe you eat appropriately? Who should be concerned? Let’s try to understand this.

What Are Triglycerides

Triglycerides are a type of fat that lives in your blood. They come from the food you eat, mostly from things like oil, butter, sugar and extra calories your body doesn’t use right away.

After a meal, especially if it’s rich in carbohydrates or fats, your body takes the extra calories and turns them into triglycerides. Subsequently, your body will store the triglycerides in your fat cells. And later, during the time between meals or when your body needs fuel, your body will release the triglycerides into the bloodstream to be used as energy. 

On the days when you keep a fast, or just don’t eat proper meals for quite a few days – you don’t suddenly feel weak. The first day you might feel a bit off but from the second one, you work fine! Those are triglycerides in action. They make you feel energetic.

So, triglycerides are not all bad. In fact, triglycerides are important for providing energy when the body is not getting fat. The problems all start occurring when your body stores too many triglycerides. Your triglyceride levels can stay high for a long time, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, fatty liver, and other serious health conditions silently. 

Many people might not even know they are high in triglycerides from not obvious physical symptoms. This is why it is important to have your levels checked regularly, especially if you also have other risk factors, such as diabetes, weight gain and family history of heart problems

What Raises Triglycerides 

So we understood how triglycerides work now let’s see what raises them. As triglycerides become prolonged mainly due to  frequent overeating – most commonly via foods high in sugar, refined carbohydrates or unhealthy fat.

There are a number of different factors that can raises triglyceride levels, including:

1. Eating diets overly high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, (e.g., sweets, sweetened cold drinks, white breads and processed snack foods).

2. Overeating by consuming excess calories from any individual source – not just fat.

3. Alcohol consumption – alcohol promotes triglycerides even when consumed in lower amounts.

4. Less physical activity – decreased physical activity can reduce the body’s ability to burn fatty acids for energy.

5. Obesity – especially if you have fat around the abdomen.

Certain medications such as steroids, contraceptives medications and blood pressure lowering medications can increase triglyceride levels and should be monitored regularly.

 Understanding Triglyceride Levels

Triglycerides are measured through a fasting blood test. Here’s how to read the results and understand what they mean.

Triglyceride Level (mg/dL)	Risk Level
150-199 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)	Low Risk
200-499 mg/dL.	Moderate Risk
500 mg/dL and more	High Risk

Don’t just jump into conclusions by looking at only triglycerides numbers. A proper report is ready by analysing the combination of HDL and LDL  numbers as well. As discussed in previous articles, it’s evident that relying on only one aspect of cholesterol won’t help.

Cleveland Clinic – Triglycerides

Who Should Be Cautious About High Triglycerides

High triglycerides are often silent. They don’t cause pain and provide no visual signals, however, over a period of time they continue to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, fatty liver, and other serious health conditions. Some people may be more impacted by unhealthy lifestyles, health conditions, or genetics that will predispose them to developing high triglyceride levels. If you meet any of the following criteria, you may want to pay particular attention:

1. People who are dealing with Type 2 Diabetes or prediabetes. When blood sugar levels are not managed well the body tends to convert any excess blood glucose into fat which is fat with high triglycerides.

2. Individuals who are overweight or obese. As a general rule, where abdominal fat is present there is often a positive correlation with elevated triglyceride levels and related heart risks.

3. If you are diagnosed with PCOS or hormonal imbalances. PCOS often coincides with those who are insulin resistant and as such, the likelihood of higher triglycerides rises higher in these individuals too.

4. If you are one of those who eat high amounts of carbohydrates or sugar. Regularly eating sweets, soft drinks, white rice, and refined carbohydrates can easily find that higher triglycerides develop over time. 

5. Individuals with family history of lipid disorders or early age heart disease. Genetics has a large impact on how we metabolize lipids in our body so even following any “normal” diet may lead to finding high triglycerides.

Conclusion

While triglycerides do not receive as much news coverage as cholesterol, they are just as important for your health. They are a component of energy storage and metabolism in your body, often harmless when they are not prolonged; however, when triglyceride levels remain elevated for longer periods it can increase the risk of possible very serious problems such as heart disease, stroke, fatty liver disease, and/or pancreatitis. 

Once you know what they are and what they do, you can take action. The only way to know your triglyceride level is through required tests. Whether your triglyceride level is normal or high, your result will let you know something you need to know about your body. Further, in many instances, you will commonly see improvement or even return to normal triglyceride level with effort on small, cumulative changes to diet, regular movement, and/or daily habits. 

You are well on your way by becoming informed. The next step for you is to make changes.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information available from trusted medical sources and research studies. It is intended for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor or healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or medication.