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Are Triglycerides And Cholesterol The Same Thing

Difference Between Ldl And Triglycerides

Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Low-density lipoprotein is a type of lipoprotein, which helps in the transportation of cholesterol in our body.

Triglyceride is a form of dietary fat synthesized in the liver as well as taken in with certain food types such as meat, dairy products, and cooking oils.

Elevated levels of both these substances in blood are known to be clinical measurements which give a hint towards hypercholesterolemia.

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Understanding The Test Results

A full lipid profile can be an important part of your childs health information. It shows the levels of each type of fat in the blood. These include LDL, HDL, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Your childs doctor can tell you what the results should be for your child. In general, healthy levels are:

  • LDL of less than 130 mg/dL

  • HDL of greater than 35 mg/dL

Some children and teens have families with high cholesterol or early heart disease. In these cases, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute advises these levels for cholesterol:

Total cholesterol

Adults

A lipid profile, which includes triglycerides, is recommended every 4 to 6 years to evaluate risk of heart disease in healthy adults. Children should have a lipid profile screening at least once between the ages of 9 and 11 and once again between the ages of 17 and 21.

Testing may be ordered more frequently when people have identified risk factors for heart disease. Some risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Cigarette smoking
  • Moves cholesterol from arteries to the liver.

LDL Low-density lipoprotein

  • Makes up 60%70% of total cholesterol
  • Main form of bad cholesterol
  • Causes build-up of plaque inside arteries.

VLDL Very-low-density lipoprotein

  • Makes up 10%15% of total cholesterol
  • With LDL, the main form of bad cholesterol
  • A precursor of LDL.

The numbers to know

Where Is Cholesterol Made

Some cholesterol comes from the food we eat, but most is made in the liver in a complex 37-step process.

Cholesterol and another type of blood fat called triglycerides can’t circulate loosely in the blood, so the liver packages them into parcels called lipoproteins, including LDL and HDL cholesterol.

They are released into the blood to carry the fats around the body to wherever they’re needed.

Recommended Reading: What Should One’s Cholesterol Be

How Fat Moves From Food To The Bloodstream

Fat and cholesterol cant dissolve in water or blood. Instead, the body packages fat and cholesterol into tiny, protein-covered particles called lipoproteins. Lipoproteins can transport a lot of fat they mix easily with blood and flow with it. Some of these particles are big and fluffy, while others are small and dense. The most important ones are low-density lipoproteins , high-density lipoproteins , and triglycerides.

  • Low Density lipoproteins

Low-density lipoproteins carry cholesterol from the liver to the rest of the body. Cells latch onto these particles and extract fat and cholesterol from them. When there is too much LDL cholesterol in the blood, these particles can form deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries and other arteries throughout the body. Such deposits, called plaque, can narrow arteries and limit blood flow. When plaque breaks apart, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. Because of this, LDL cholesterol is often referred to as bad, or harmful, cholesterol.

  • High-density lipoproteins

High-density lipoproteins scavenge cholesterol from the bloodstream, from LDL, and from artery walls and ferry it back to the liver for disposal. Think of HDL as the garbage trucks of the bloodstream. HDL cholesterol is often referred to as good, or protective, cholesterol.

In general, the lower your LDL and the higher your HDL, the better your chances of preventing heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Visit Ucf Healths Cardiologist Dr Bernard Gros Who Specializes In Lipid Disorders

Many of the same lifestyle changes and medications can lower both ...

UCF Healths Dr. Bernard Gros is a board certified cardiologist who specializes in lipid disorders like high triglycerides. Dr. Gros completed his medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at University of Michigan, followed by a fellowship in Cardiology at the same location. Dr. Gros has been with UCF Health College of Medicine since 2011, as one of the founding health care providers.

At UCF Health, our cardiologists use a collaborative care approach to serve patients in the best way possible and show you how to prevent heart disease. We strive to ensure that all members of the health care team are on board with the treatment plan and facilitate clear communication across specialties.

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What Can Raise Your Triglycerides

Triglycerides can be raised due to what doctors refer to as ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ causes, explained below. Some people have a combination of both.

It is very important that your doctors investigates all these potential causes so that you can start treatment.

Primary causes of raised triglycerides

‘Primary’ refers to inherited conditions which cause raised triglyceride levels.

Symptoms Of High Triglycerides

There are usually no clear symptoms of high triglycerides which is why it is so important to have blood work done regularly to monitor these levels before they get out of hand.

In cases of severely high triglyceride levels, an individual may experience chest pain, numbness, dizziness or confusion. Consequently, when triglyceride levels get too high, the blood supply can become blocked to the heart and brain. Very high triglyceride levels can also cause fat deposits to develop under the skin and pancreatitis.

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Finding Out Your Triglycerides Levels

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 .

What should your triglyceride levels be?

HEART UK experts state that we should aim for a non-fasting triglyceride level below 2.3mmol/L.

If your doctor has asked you to fast for a test then your triglyceride level should be below 1.7mmol/L. 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.

How Fat And Cholesterol In Food Affect Blood Cholesterol Levels

Triglyceride/HDL Ratio – A Better CV Risk Predictor than LDL? (Part 1)

The types of fat in the diet help determine the amount of total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. The types and amount of carbohydrate in the diet also play a role. Cholesterol in food matters, too, but not nearly as much.

  • The discovery half a century ago that high blood cholesterol levels were strongly associated with an increased risk for heart disease triggered numerous warnings to avoid foods that contain cholesterol, especially eggs and liver. However, scientific studies show a weak relationship between the amount of cholesterol a person consumes and his or her blood cholesterol levels
  • In studies of more than 80,000 female nurses, Harvard researchers found that consuming about an egg a day was not associated with higher risk of heart disease. However, people who have heart disease or diabetes should monitor egg consumption.

For most people, the amount of cholesterol eaten has only a modest impact on the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. For some people, though, blood cholesterol levels rise and fall very strongly in relation to the amount of cholesterol eaten. For these responders, avoiding cholesterol-rich foods can have a substantial effect on blood cholesterol levels. Unfortunately, at this point there is no way other than by trial and error to identify responders from non-responders to dietary cholesterol.

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Causes Of High Cholesterol

Elevated LDL cholesterol levels can be caused by several factors, including heredity conditions such as familial hypercholesterolemia. More commonly, elevated cholesterol levels are related to poor diet, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, age, smoking, and gender .

Several medical conditions, including diabetes, hypothyroidism, liver disease, and chronic kidney failure can also increase cholesterol levels. Some drugs, especially steroids and progesterone, can do the same.

What Can You Do At Home To Treat High Triglycerides

The main way to deal with high triglycerides is to eat better and get more exercise. Here are some guidelines to help you manage your level:

Moderate exercise: Try to exercise 5 or more days each week. Lack of movement makes it hard for your body to process blood sugar and triglycerides as it normally does. So itâs important for you to get up and get moving more each day. Skip the escalator or elevator and climb stairs. Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk. Find activities you enjoy: Walk, swim, or ride a bike. Join a gym. Talk to your doctor before you begin any exercise plan.

Watch your weight: If youâre carrying extra pounds, losing 5% to 10% of your weight can lower triglycerides. People with a healthy weight are more likely to have normal levels. Belly fat is associated with higher numbers.

Eat less bad fat and carbs: Try to lower the saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol in your diet. Cutting back on carbohydrates will help, too. Foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, boost levels. Butter and cheese contain these same triglyceride-boosting fats. Choose lean meats or protein alternatives, such as chicken and unprocessed turkey, that are lower in saturated fat.

Another healthy option: Make meatless meals. Vegetarian pastas, chilis, and stir-fries are a delicious alternative to meat dishes. Avoid dishes loaded with cream or cheese in favor of recipes that use vegetable or olive oil and feature plenty of vegetables.

Also Check: Does Coconut Oil Give You High Cholesterol

The Difference Between Cholesterol And Triglycerides

The rapid increase in the size of the heart disease problem over the last few years has resulted in a growing awareness of the seriousness of the problem and the need for people to take steps to control the risk of cardiac disease. Medical research and hence treatment methods are getting more advanced by the day, but as even the best cardiologists would tell you, prevention is better than cure and therefore the need to check various parameters to keep them under control is of paramount importance.

Also Read: Great tips to lower Cholesterol

Among the number of factors and medical terms that relate to heart conditions are cholesterol and triglycerides. They are both lipids that are in the blood and high levels of either cause heart and circulation problems. Because they are both fats people often think of them as being the same thing, which is incorrect. They are different in the functions they perform and knowing about the difference is important to understanding what they do and how they affect heart health.

What Is Ldl Cholesterol

The Triglyceride/HDL Cholesterol Ratio

Low density lipoprotein is a type of lipoprotein, which helps in the transportation of cholesterol in our body. This is often referred to as a bad cholesterol type since it can get deposited on blood vessel walls as thick and dense plaques and attracts macrophages which will eventually obstruct the vessel lumen causing Atherosclerosis.

Increased LDL levels markedly increase the risk of coronary artery disease.

Every person who is suspected to have Hypercholesterolemia should get a lipid profile done once in every month, which will reveal a laboratory measurement of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Read Also: What Happens If You Eat Too Much Cholesterol

What Are Triglycerides And Why Is It Important To Keep Your Levels Low

If you check your blood pressure and cholesterol levels regularly, you might need to monitor another important thing in your body: your triglycerides.

Like high blood pressure or bad cholesterol, having high triglyceride levels increases your risk for heart disease. However, the same lifestyle choices that promote overall health can help lower your triglycerides, too.

How Is It Broken Down

Once in the blood stream, some cholesterol will be carried back to the liver and broken down. The liver uses cholesterol to make bile acids which are released into the intestines to help with digestion. They break down the fats in food.

A small amount of bile acids will leave the body as a waste product in your poo. But most will be absorbed back into the blood, returned to the liver and used again for digestion.

Some treatments for high cholesterol work by stopping bile from being absorbed back into the blood. The liver has to take more cholesterol out of the blood to make more bile, lowering your cholesterol levels.

There are two main ways to lower your cholesterol:

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Also Check: How Much Cholesterol In Skim Milk

Summary Cholesterol Vs Triglycerides

Triglycerides and cholesterols are lipids absorbed from the diet and synthesized by the liver. Triglycerides are the building blocks of the body fats. When there is a low level of blood glucose, triglycerides work as an energy source and produce energy. On the other hand, cholesterol is important to produce hormones and maintain the cell membrane. Excess amount of cholesterol gets deposited in the arteries and reduce the blood flow, increasing the risk of heart attacks. Similarly, high levels of triglycerides can cause atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. Thus, regular exercise will help to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides from your body. This is the summary of the difference between cholesterol and triglycerides.

Reference:

1. âStructural Biochemistry/Lipids/Cholesterol.â Structural Biochemistry/Lipids/Cholesterol â Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World, Available here.2. âTriacylglycerol: Structure & Function.â Study.com, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. âFat triglyceride shorthand formulaâ By Wolfgang Schaefer â author via Commons Wikimedia2. âCholesterol â By Wesalius â Own work via Commons Wikimedia

Ask A Laboratory Scientist

Triglyceride/HDL Ratio – A Better CV Risk Predictor than LDL? (Part 2)

This form enables patients to ask specific questions about lab tests. Your questions will be answered by a laboratory scientist as part of a voluntary service provided by one of our partners, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. Please allow 2-3 business days for an email response from one of the volunteers on the Consumer Information Response Team.

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What Affects My Cholesterol Levels

A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are some things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels:

  • Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat make your blood cholesterol level rise. Saturated fat is the main problem, but cholesterol in foods also matters. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level. Foods that have high levels of saturated fats include some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods.
  • Weight. Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. It also raises your HDL cholesterol level.
  • Physical Activity. Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease. Regular physical activity can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol levels. It also helps you lose weight. You should try to be physically active for 30 minutes on most, if not all, days.
  • Smoking.Cigarette smoking lowers your HDL cholesterol. HDL helps to remove bad cholesterol from your arteries. So a lower HDL can contribute to a higher level of bad cholesterol.

Things outside of your control that can also affect cholesterol levels include:

How Are Triglycerides Different From Cholesterol

Triglycerides and cholesterol are both fatty substances called lipids. But triglycerides are fats cholesterol is not. Cholesterol is a waxy, odorless substance made by the liver. It is used to build cell walls, helps the nervous system and plays an important role in digestion and hormone production.

Read Also: How Do You Lower Cholesterol Quickly

Causes Of High Triglycerides

In many cases, habitual overeating causes high triglycerides. Occasionally, the trigger is an underlying condition such as:

  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Some types of liver disease
  • Some types of kidney disease
  • Some genetic disorders, including the inherited disease familial hypertriglyceridemia and familial combined hyperlipidemia .

Medications May Be Needed For High Triglyceride Levels

Slideshow: Cholesterol 101

Sometimes, healthy eating and regular exercise cant lower high triglyceride levels. This may be the case, for example, if you have familial hypertriglyceridemia or if you already have heart disease. Your doctor may prescribe medication such as fibrates or nicotinic acids. Drugs to help lower high blood cholesterol may also be prescribed, if necessary.Suggestions for managing high triglyceride levels with medication include:

  • Always take prescription medications exactly as instructed.
  • See your doctor if you are having side effects from the medication. Known medication side effects may include indigestion, diarrhoea, fever or muscle problems.
  • Dont assume that medications will somehow overcome the hazards of an unhealthy lifestyle. A healthy diet, regular exercise and maintaining an appropriate weight for your height are the most important management strategies for high triglycerides.

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How Can I Prevent High Cholesterol And Triglycerides

The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 6 percent of your daily calories come from saturated fat. The AHA also recommends avoiding trans fats whenever possible. Eating plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can also decrease high cholesterol.

Other ways that can help you maintain healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels include:

  • eating skinless poultry with no visible fat
  • eating lean meats, in moderate portions
  • eating low-fat or fat-free dairy products
  • consuming polyunsaturated fats and mono-unsaturated fat instead of saturated fats and trans fats
  • exercising for at least 30 minutes per day, 4 days per week
  • avoiding fast food, junk food, and processed meats
  • eating grilled and roasted foods instead of fried foods
  • drinking less alcohol, alcohol causes triglyceride levels to increase

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