Limit Sugar Refined Carbohydrates And Too Much Alcohol
Do you have to eat a keto diet to lower triglycerides? Not necessarily. Reducing sugars, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol may be enough to lower your levels.
As we mentioned, any caloric excess can increase triglycerides. However, the most likely sources of extra calories are excess sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol.19
One reason carbs and sugars commonly increase triglycerides may be that carbs and sugars are two of the most commonly overconsumed foods. However, another reason could be that fructose and alcohol are more likely to cause fatty liver, which can raise triglycerides.20
One study reports that simply replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water reduced triglycerides.21
And another reports that decreasing alcohol consumption lowered fasting triglycerides.22
Other factors, such as baseline obesity and insulin resistance, may make it more likely that eating carbs would cause an individuals triglycerides to rise.23
If youre overweight or have insulin resistance, the evidence shows its important to reduce carbs. However, the data suggests that most people with high triglycerides even people with normal weight would benefit from reducing sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol.
Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
Medical science consistently demonstrates that people with higher triglycerides have a higher risk of heart disease. That is not surprising since high triglycerides are also correlated with other cardiac risk factors such as insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and more atherogenic small LDL particles.49
Observational studies demonstrate the risk of a heart attack triples for those with triglycerides above 265 mg/dL compared to those with lower levels.50
Another study reports an increased risk for statin-treated patients when their triglycerides were above 175 mg/dL .51
Studies comparing the impact of elevated triglycerides on cardiovascular risk suggest it may be equally or more important than high LDL cholesterol.
One study shows genetic mutations that lower triglycerides have an equal benefit for reducing heart disease risk as those that lower LDL.52
Other studies report elevated triglycerides and triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio are associated with smaller LDL particles and a more advanced coronary disease, whereas elevated LDL cholesterol show no significant correlation.53
Most recently, an evaluation of the PREDIMED trial demonstrates that triglycerides above 150 mg/dL and remnant cholesterol ) have greater predictive power for heart disease risk than does LDL.54
In fact, many trials show no improvement in the risk of heart disease or death.
Could triglyceride-lowering lifestyles have a greater impact than medications?
Why Weight Loss May Temporarily Raise Cholesterol Levels
Overweight individuals are at risk of higher levels of cholesterol in their blood, which may increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. For this reason, weight loss is often recommended to help lower cholesterol. While weight loss is an effective tool for lowering cholesterol, it may temporarily raise cholesterol. Here’s why …
If youre in the process of losing weight and your blood cholesterol levels have risen, despite your weight loss, dont panic. Its completely normal for blood cholesterol levels to go up temporarily as your body burns stored fat. You may not see accurate blood cholesterol readings until your weight has stabilised for 8-12 weeks, and your blood cholesterol levels have had a chance to normalise.
When we lose weight, we mobilise stored fat, so the cholesterol normally stored in fatty tissue will be released into our bloodstream, causing a transient rise in blood cholesterol levels. This effect is not permanent and cholesterol levels will commonly decrease as your weight stabilises. Medications used to treat high cholesterol may not be effective in controlling cholesterol when it comes from fatty tissue stores.
There are several factors, in addition to losing weight, that may further improve your lipid profile:
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Does Lemon Water Lower Triglycerides
Multiple useful cardiovascular effects have been discovered including enhancement of fibrinolytic activity, lowering of blood pressure, reduction in cholesterol, and triglyceride. The results showed that combination of garlic and lemon juice significantly reduced serum TC, LDL-C, and blood pressure.
What Are The Causes And Symptoms Of High Triglycerides
Causes include obesity, eating too much unhealthy food, genetics, certain illnesses including poorly controlled diabetes, kidney disease, and underactive thyroid . Some drugs, such as steroids and birth control pills, and drinking a lot of alcohol can also cause it.
Most people have no symptoms. Very high levels can cause small fat deposits under the skin and a painful inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
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What Kind Of Medications Treat High Triglycerides
If your triglyceride levels are very high, you may need medication.
Niacin supplements also known as vitamin B3 can help reduce blood triglyceride levels. You can get niacin naturally from meats, avocados, and peanuts among many other foods. Supplements work well, too, if youre worried you may not be getting enough through your diet alone.
For those who dont like to eat fish, packaged omega-3 fatty acids, and even cod liver oil, can come in a capsule and help you get some of the same benefits. Vascepa is an FDA-approved prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acid that you can take if you are 45 or older and have diabetes or cardiovascular disease. It has been shown to reduce triglyceride levels and the risk of heart attack or stroke when exercise, diet, and other medications arent enough.
One of the main types of medication prescribed to treat high triglycerides are called fibrates, including fenofibrate. These medications slow down production of triglycerides and help remove triglycerides from the bloodstream.
High Triglycerides: Getting Help
When it comes to cholesterol and triglycerides, perhaps the most important thing is to get regular screenings.
See your doctor and get checked out. If your triglycerides are high, you and your doctor can decide on a treatment plan — and you can make a few simple but effective changes to your lifestyle.
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Weight Loss And Cholesterol: Is There A Link
When it comes to cholesterol, the discussion around LDL , HDL , and triglycerides can get confusing. To further complicate things, being overweight doesnt necessarily cause high cholesterol, and you can have high cholesterol even if your weight is within normal limits.
It begs the question: does losing weight lower cholesterol? The best answer seems to be, It definitely doesnt hurt.
When it comes to determining whether you are at risk for high cholesterol, your genes and environment both play a role. In other words, diet and exercise work together and create a baseline for what your cholesterol risks may be. For instance, if you eat a lot of fried, fatty foods, you may increase your cholesterol levels as well as gain weight.1
Another tricky thing with cholesterol is that even if you are in the process of losing weight, your blood cholesterol levels could go up temporarily because of the release of fatty acids into your bloodstream.2 So, if youre losing weight to lower cholesterol levels and you find your cholesterol levels are rising, try not to panic. Its a normal phenomenon and your levels should settle down once your weight has stabilized.
Wherever you are in your weight loss journey, use these tips to help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risks of related diseases:
Foods That Can Help Lower Triglycerides
The way you prepare food can also have an impact on triglycerides. One approach to lower triglycerides naturally is choosing healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil, instead of saturated fats, like butter and lard, when its time to fry or saute something to eat.
Adding foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, like salmon, flax seeds, and chia seeds, can also help. The American Heart Association currently recommends at least 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per day.
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Triglycerides Level Chart Foods That Raise And Lower It
We know that triglycerides have a direct link with heart health. Yet, the reports of elevated triglycerides levels worldwide are alarming. Recently, The US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that more than 25% of US adults suffer from high levels of triglycerides. The survey that lasted for 8 years provides alarming rates of triglyceride patients. It also states, around 37% of the patients to be on medications for triglycerides.
However, we are blessed with foods that can help lower triglyceride levels and help in leading a healthy life. Before reaching for the foods, lets first understand triglycerides better to treat it accordingly.
Understanding Cholesterol Levels And Diet
The weight loss process can be confusing, so paying careful attention to the bodys responses is key to understanding them. Its important not to jump to conclusions based on data like the number on the scale, and even cholesterol.
As mentioned, high cholesterol is usually an indication of a health concern. However, truly understanding how cholesterol is determined and what it means is more complicated than that. This is especially true when it comes to weight loss.
Losing weight and exercise are common recommendations for fighting the risk of heart disease and lowering cholesterol. The combination of the two typically does just that.
However, there are cases in weight loss where one may encounter an increase in cholesterol.
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How Are High Triglycerides Treated
The best ways to lower triglycerides include losing weight, eating fewer calories, and exercising regularly . Diet changes that may help include avoiding fats and sugar and refined foods . Also avoid alcohol and limit fats found in meats high in saturated fat, egg yolks, and whole milk products. Trans fats, found in fried foods and commercial baked products, are unhealthy. Eat healthy monounsaturated fatsolive, peanut, and canola oils. Eat fish high in omega-3 fatty acids instead of red meat.
If diet changes and exercise dont work, medicines such as nicotinic acid , fibrates , and omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides. Niacin side effects limit its use. Cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins can also lower triglycerides, but their effect is limited.
Its also important to control diabetes since a high sugar level will also increase triglycerides.
Follow A Lower Carb Diet
Much like added sugar, extra calories from carbs in your diet are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells.
Not surprisingly, low carb diets have been linked to lower blood triglyceride levels .
A review of 12 randomized controlled trials found that people following reduced carb diets typically saw a reduction in triglyceride levels at 6, 12, and 24 months. Across these studies, triglyceride levels decreased the most 6 months after starting a reduced calorie diet .
A 2020 review compared low fat and low carb diets. Researchers found that 612 months after starting their relative diets, those on the low carb diet had greater decreases in triglyceride levels than those on a low fat diet .
Summary
Following a low carb diet can lead to a significant reduction in blood triglyceride levels, at least in the short term, when compared with a low fat diet.
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Triglycerides: A Big Fat Problem
This forgotten fat is a source of confusion â and heart disease.
Why is it that the most common form of fat in food and in the bloodstream is the one that’s most often ignored? Triglycerides take a back seat to low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein largely because their precise role in heart disease has been something of a mystery.
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Controlling High Triglycerides: Medical Treatment
People with heart disease and high triglycerides may need medication to bring down their levels.
- Fibrates can lower triglycerides. They modestly improve cholesterol levels, too.
- Fish oilwith omega-3 fatty acids can help keep triglycerides under control. Ask your doctor whether you should use prescription fish oil. Omega-3 acids from plant sources like flaxseed may help.
- Niacin can lower triglycerides by up to 50%. It’s available as a non-prescription supplement and as a prescription drug.
Remember that to stay healthy and keep your triglycerides down, you still have to focus on improving your lifestyle.
When you talk to your doctor, discuss all of the medicines, supplements, and vitamins you take. Some common drugs — like beta-blockers, birth control pills, and diuretics — can cause high triglycerides as a side effect. It’s possible that one of them could be causing your problem.
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Do Bananas Help Lower Triglycerides
The researchers also say that people with high triglycerides should focus on eating more vegetables fruits that are lower in fructose such as cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, bananas, peaches high-fiber whole grains and especially omega-3 fatty acids, which are found primarily in fatty fish such as salmon, …
Increase Your Intake Of Unsaturated Fats
Studies show that monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can reduce blood triglyceride levels, especially when theyre replacing carbs in your diet .
Monounsaturated fats are found in foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados. Polyunsaturated fats are present in vegetable oils and fatty fish, as well as nuts and seeds such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds.
A 2019 review of 27 studies reported that while olive oil consumption does decrease triglycerides levels, it does so significantly less than other types of plant oil .
One older study analyzed the diets of 452 adults in a specific population of Indigenous people in Alaska over the previous 24 hours.
It found that saturated fat intake was associated with increased blood triglycerides, while polyunsaturated fat intake was associated with lower triglyceride levels .
To maximize the triglyceride-lowering benefits of unsaturated fats, pick a heart-healthy fat like olive oil and use it to replace other types of fat in your diet, such as trans fats or highly processed vegetable oils .
Summary
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can decrease blood triglyceride levels, especially when theyre consumed in place of other fats.
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The Following Steps Will Help To Reduce High Levels:
- Avoid ADDED sugars. Many processed foods contain added sugars. Regular soda, sports drinks, coffee drinks, candy, ice cream, cookies, sweetened yogurt, some cereals, granola bars, even peanut butter may have sugar added to them. Many nutrition labels now include a separate line that show added sugars to distinguish them from naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit or milk. The American Heart Association recommends the following:
Women: no more than 25g of added sugars per day
Men: no more than 38g of added sugars per day.
There are approximately 40g of sugar in one 12oz can of cola.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, dont panic! Take baby steps for better success. Choose one goal, make it part of your daily routine for a few weeks or until you have mastered it, then move on to the next goal. For example, if you drink regular soda, try changing that. Replace half of your soda intake with calorie free flavored water, flavored seltzer, unsweetened iced tea, or just plain water. Once you have gotten used to that change, set a new goal. Your current habits werent formed all at once and you likely wont be able to change them in an instant either. But by making small changes, you can take steps to decrease your triglyceride level and improve your overall health.
Know Your Triglyceride Numbers
A blood test called a lipid panel checks both your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Usually, your doctor will ask that you fast, or not eat or drink anything other than water, for 9-12 hours before the test. Youâll get blood taken from a vein in your arm. Some labs offer non-fasting lipid panels, or they may prick your finger for blood.
Here are the levels, based on a fastingblood test.
- Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline: 150 to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very High: 500 mg/dL or above
Anyone over age 20 needs to get regular tests to track their cholesterol and triglyceride levels, according to the American Heart Association.
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Increased Risk Of Pancreatitis
Severely elevated triglycerides is the third most common risk factor for pancreatitis but causes only around 4% of all cases. Gallstones and alcoholism are much more common, comprising approximately 70% of all cases.56
Individuals with triglycerides above 1,000 mg/dL have a 5% chance of developing pancreatitis, and that increases to 10 to 20% for levels above 2,000 mg/dL . For reference, the general population risk of pancreatitis is just 0.5%.57
Keeping Joints Squeaky Clean
You might not think much about it now, but trust us, you want healthy joints as you age. Excess weight can put more wear and tear on knee cartilage, leading to a painful condition called osteoarthritis. If youre overweight, research shows that losing 11 pounds can decrease your likelihood of OA by more than 50 percent. Heres to signing up for 5Ks well into your older years.
This story originally appeared on Life by Daily Burn.
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What Is The Difference Between Triglycerides And Cholesterol
You might be wondering how triglycerides are different from cholesterol. Both are essential types of fat that our bodies need to function, and they can be made in the body and sourced from our diet. Triglycerides and cholesterol are often lumped in together as part of a blood test called a lipid profile or lipid panel.
There are some important differences between the two.
Triglycerides are one of our main sources of energy. They are either transported to the parts of our body that need energy, or they are stored for use later.
Cholesterol is not a source of energy, but it is an important part of the makeup of our cells. It is one of the building blocks for some of the hormones our bodies make, the bile acids that help us digest food, and vitamin D. The body makes all the cholesterol that it needs.