Triglycerides are a type of fat that gets stored in adipose tissue and circulates in blood. Your body makes triglycerides or gets them from the foods you eat.
High triglycerides
Your body needs some triglycerides. However, high triglycerides in your blood is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
Until recently, triglycerides tended to get less attention when looking at cardiovascular risk compared to LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. There's no question that extremely high levels (1,000 mg/dL or more) spell trouble and can lead to acute pancreatitis.
What level of triglycerides is dangerous?
But what about treating lower levels of triglycerides? Recent evidence suggests you should work to reduce triglyceride levels if they are higher than normal, especially if you have heart disease or have other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking.
Triglyceride levels |
| Normal | Less than 150* |
| Borderline high | 150–199 |
| High | 200–499 |
| Very high | 500 or higher |
| *All values in milligrams per deciliter Source: National Cholesterol Education Program. |
Triglycerides can be one of the signs of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk for having a heart attack or stroke.
People with metabolic syndrome are several times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. The risk of eventually developing diabetes is even greater.
A syndrome is, by definition, a group of signs and symptoms that occur together because of an underlying condition. For metabolic syndrome, that group includes abdominal obesity (as measured by waistline), high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol — and, yes, high triglyceride levels.
Triglycerides and HDL
Triglycerides and HDL are metabolically connected and are often inversely related: As triglycerides go up, HDL tends to go down — and vice versa. But that isn't always so. People can have "isolated" high triglycerides without low HDL levels, and research is now showing that high triglycerides are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease, no matter what the HDL is.
What causes high triglyceride levels?
Factors that can raise your triglyceride level include:
- Being overweight or having obesity
- Diabetes
- Cigarette smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- Certain medicines
- An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Some genetic disorders
How to lower high triglyceride levels
Many of the steps you should take to lower triglycerides are the same ones you should take to protect your heart and health overall. Your doctor will advise you of measures you can take to lower high triglycerides. Some of these steps may include:
- Exercise regularly
- Lose weight
- Avoid sugar/refined carbs
- Limit alcohol intake
- Quit smoking
- Get enough sleep
- Manage stress levels.
How to lower triglyceride levels with medication
If you're taking a statin to lower your LDL, one side benefit may be reduced triglyceride levels. Depending on the dose, statins can lower triglycerides by 20%–40%.
The omega-3 fats in fish and fish oil capsules are another triglyceride-lowering option. For a very high triglyceride level, your doctor can prescribe a high-dose omega-3 medication.
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FAQs
High doses of a strong statin (simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) lower triglycerides, by as much as approximately 50%, and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The greater the baseline level of triglycerides the greater the percent triglyceride reduction will be with statin treatment.
What is the most effective treatment for high triglycerides? ›
High doses of a strong statin (simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) lower triglycerides, by as much as approximately 50%, and raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The greater the baseline level of triglycerides the greater the percent triglyceride reduction will be with statin treatment.
How can I reduce my triglyceride level? ›
Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most or all days of the week. Regular exercise can lower triglycerides and boost "good" cholesterol. Try to incorporate more physical activity into your daily tasks — for example, climb the stairs at work or take a walk during breaks.
What is the first line treatment for high triglycerides? ›
In patients with severe or very severe hypertriglyceridemia, a fibrate should be used as a first-line agent.
What diet is best for high triglycerides? ›
INSTEAD: use whole grain breads, cereals, and pasta, and increase fiber intake. Old fashioned or steel cut oats are great choices, as are brown rice, quinoa, wheat berries, amaranth, and other whole grains. Choose legumes often – chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, etc.
What will a doctor do if triglycerides are high? ›
Medications for High Triglycerides
Some common drugs prescribed to lower triglycerides include: Statins Statins are appropriate as a cornerstone treatment for moderate to severely high triglyceride levels, according to the AHA/ACC guideline.
What is the best exercise to lower triglycerides? ›
When paired with weight loss, studies show that aerobic exercise is especially effective at decreasing triglycerides. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 days per week through activities like walking, jogging, bicycling, and swimming.
What is the best drink to lower triglycerides? ›
Green tea and soy milk are the best drinks to lower triglycerides.
Do bananas help lower triglycerides? ›
Bananas
They are a fantastic natural energy source and can enhance digestion and control blood sugar levels. In addition to its other health advantages, bananas have been shown to reduce triglyceride levels. Banana consumption has been linked to decrease blood triglyceride levels, according to studies.
Can drinking more water lower triglycerides? ›
Drink more water.
Sugar and fructose – which are used as sweeteners in soda, sweet tea, and fruit juices – can raise triglycerides. The extra calories in sugary drinks can also make you gain weight, which puts added strain on your heart.
The injectable drug, olezarsen, lowered triglyceride levels by 49% at the 50 milligram (mg) dose and by 53% at the 80 mg dose compared to a placebo, researchers reported April 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
How long does it take for triglycerides to drop? ›
Dietary and lifestyle changes may help you lower your triglycerides within a few months. The first step, though, involves finding out why your triglycerides are high. Hypertriglyceridemia has many causes.
At what triglycerides level should you start statins? ›
Consider statins in patients with triglyceride levels between 150 and 499 mg per dL (1.69 to 5.64 mmol per L) and borderline or intermediate cardiovascular risk. Consider icosapent (Vascepa) for patients with elevated triglyceride levels (150 to 499 mg per dL) and established CVD who are taking statins.
What raises triglycerides the most? ›
Causes of high triglycerides
- Excessive alcohol consumption.
- Adverse side effect of particular medications.
- Poorly managed diabetes.
- Hypothyroidism (insufficient production of thyroid hormones)
- Some types of liver disease.
- Some types of kidney disease.
High levels of triglycerides don't cause symptoms by themselves, but they can lead to more serious conditions. Very high levels of triglycerides can cause pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, causing abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Are eggs bad for triglycerides? ›
Eggs not Linked to Increased Triglycerides and LDL/HDL.
What is the drug of choice for high triglycerides? ›
Classes of medications that are appropriate for the management of major triglyceride elevations include fibric acid derivatives, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids. High doses of a strong statin (simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin) also lower triglycerides, by as much as approximately 50%.
What is the new drug to lower triglycerides? ›
High levels of triglycerides are linked to increased heart disease risk. Two recent studies find that an injectable experimental drug significantly reduces levels. The drug, called olezarsen, may be particularly useful for people with a rare condition that causes raised triglyceride levels.
What is the alarming level of triglycerides? ›
Very high blood triglycerides, more than 500 mg/dL, can raise the risk for a sudden swelling in the pancreas called acute pancreatitis. Very high levels can also lead to changes in the eye's blood vessels that make the vessels look different than usual.
