Triglyceride Troubles? Tips on Reducing Your Levels

Triglycerides are the chemical form of fat found in food. Together with cholesterol, triglycerides form the plasma lipids. Like cholesterol, triglycerides serve an important purpose in the body, but when found in excess it can be harmful to your health.

Triglycerides are not only found in the foods you eat. The body also makes triglyceride from other food energy sources such as carbohydrates. When you eat, your body transforms carbohydrates into glucose for energy. Once your cells have what they need, the excess glucose is sent to your liver to be converted to glycogen and stored in the muscles. However, once your glycogen stores are full, the excess glycogen is again sent back to your liver where it is converted to triglycerides which can be stored in fat cells, which are later released for energy between meals. Hence, if you regularly eat more calories than you need – regardless of the calorie source – you may have high triglycerides, or hypertriglyceridemia.

Because of the relationship between carbohydrates and triglycerides, hypertriglyceridemia can be a sign of poorly controlled diabetes. Obesity and the metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, and liver or kidney disease are other conditions which often accompany high triglycerides. Hypertriglyceridemia can contribute to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), which increases your risk of cardiovascular events such as stroke or heart attack. Another health concern associated with high triglycerides is pancreatitis – a severely painful inflammation of the pancreas which can result in damage to this body organ, along with other life-threatening complications.

A level of triglycerides less than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is considered normal. According to the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines for triglycerides, abnormal categories of triglycerides include:

Borderline high — 150 to 199 mg/dL
High — 200 to 499 mg/dL
Very high — 500 mg/dL or above

Several studies suggest that your level of triglycerides may help predict your heart attack risk as accurately as other well-known blood fats. A report published in a 1997 issue of "Circulation" revealed that high triglycerides alone increased your risk of heart attack by almost 300%. In this particular study, those with the highest ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol had a risk of heart attack that was sixteen times greater than their counterparts who had the lowest ratio of triglycerides to HDL.

Although there are several drugs on the market used to treat hypertriglyceridemia, there are also several non-pharmaceutical ways to reduce your triglyceride level:


Achieve a Healthy Weight.

Losing the excess weight can help lower triglycerides. Reduce your overall caloric intake to be more consistent with what your body needs – remember that the excess calories that your body doesn’t use is converted to triglycerides.


Exercise.

Regular exercise for at least 30 minutes a day will help improve your triglyceride levels, while also improving your cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Improve Your Diet.

Reduce your intake of the unhealthy saturated fats, and eliminate trans fat; when you consume these, you’re essentially eating triglycerides. Also watch your cholesterol – set a goal of no more than 200 milligrams of cholesterol a day, and do your best to avoid concentrated sources of cholesterol such as organ meats, egg yolks, and whole milk. Decrease your intake of simple carbohydrates as well, since excess calories are converted to triglycerides.

Go Fish.

Instead of red meat, opt for fish such as mackerel, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids lower plasma triglyceride levels by inhibiting the synthesis of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver; research has shown that approximately 4 grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids reduced serum triglyceride concentrations by 25 to 30 percent. The American Heart Association recommends consumption of two servings of fish per week for those with no history of coronary heart disease, and at least one serving of fish daily for those with known coronary heart disease.

Reduce Alcohol Intake.

Alcohol is high in calories and sugar, and therefore has a particularly potent effect on triglycerides. In some people, even small amounts of alcohol can adversely affect their triglyceride levels.