What Qualifies As High Triglycerides
According to MedlinePlus , blood levels less than 150 mg/dL fall under the triglycerides normal range, while anything higherknown as hypertriglyceridemiacan increase risk for heart disease. Elevated triglycerides can also be a very early sign of diabetes, states Kristin Thomas, MD, a board-certified internist and co-founder of Foxhall Medicine in Washington, DC.
Extremely high triglyceridesblood levels over 500 mg/dLmay be due to a genetic disorder and can increase the risk of pancreatitis, along with heart disease, including atherosclerosis , Dr. Thomas, co-author of You Can Prevent A Stroke, explains. It can be seen alone or in association with many other conditions, as well, such as metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, fatty liver disease and kidney disease, Dr. Malaney says.
What Are Normal And High Triglyceride Levels
The National Cholesterol Education Program sets guidelines for triglyceride levels:
- Normal levels: Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter
- Borderline high:150 to 199
- High: 200 to 499
- Very high: 500 or more
Elevated levels may lead to heart disease, especially in people with low levels of “good” cholesterol and high levels of “bad” cholesterol. The same is true if you have type 2 diabetes.
Experts once debated how important triglycerides are, but it now seems clear that higher levels are linked to problems such as heart disease.
One thing is clear, though: A good diet and exercise plan can lower triglyceride levels, improve cholesterol, and decrease the chance of heart disease.
Orla Walsh: What To Eat In 2023 To Look Good Feel Great And Live Longer How To Lower Your Cholesterol
Dietitian Orla Walsh shares part three of her series on the diet changes that can help you to live a longer, happier life. Adding foods and not restricting is key to healthy cholesterol levels
Dietitian Orla Walsh believes simple changes can make a big difference to overall health. Photo: Owen Breslin
Eating too many sugar-rich foods may cause triglyceride levels to rise. Photo: Getty Images
Tree nuts such as almonds can help lower cholesterol. Photo: Getty Images/EyeEm
Artichoke leaf extract may have a positive effect on cholesterol, but there needs to be more research. Photo: Getty Images
Eating plenty of oily fish, oats, fresh produce, nuts and seeds can help balance cholesterol and support a heart health. Photo: Getty Images
Orla Walsh
As outlined in week one of this series, new research by The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing showed that one in three adults over the age of 50 in Ireland meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is the medical term for a combination of at least three of the following conditions: obesity, high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, low levels of protective forms of cholesterol , and high levels of harmful forms of cholesterol .
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Cut Out Sugar And Too Many Refined Carbs
Common sources of added sugar and refined carbs include white bread, rice cakes, white flour, soda, breakfast cereals, and pasta. Basically, anything that comes from a package should be avoided to protect your health.
Food and beverage labels include added sugars in the nutrition facts section and ingredients list. We have a detailed guide showing how to read nutrition labels.
What Causes High Cholesterol
Some causes of high cholesterol include:
- High intake of foods containing unhealthy fats such as fatty meats and deli-style meats, butter, cream, ice cream, coconut oil, palm oil and most deep-fried takeaway foods and commercially baked products .
- Low intake of foods containing healthy fats healthy fats tend to increase the good cholesterol. Foods containing healthy fats include avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, cooking oils made from plants or seeds, and fish.
- Low intake of foods containing fibre foods that are high in dietary fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood. Include fibre-containing foods in your diet by choosing vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds every day.
- Low levels of physical activity and exercise.
- Being overweight or obese and having too much body fat around your middle.
- Smoking can lead to high cholesterol levels.
- Genetics your family history may affect your cholesterol level. In some families, several people might be diagnosed with high cholesterol or heart disease at a relatively young age . This type of pattern can be caused by genetics, including a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia. Its best to speak to your doctor as soon as possible if you think you might be affected.
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Dos And Donts In Managing High Triglycerides:
- DO exercise regularly.
- DO eat more fruits and vegetables and high-fiber foods such as oat bran. Cook with monounsaturated fatsolive, peanut, and canola oils.
- DO stop smoking.
- DO lose weight by changing your diet and doing aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, bicycling, or swimming. Exercise at least 30 minutes daily.
- DONT forget to treat other medical conditions such as diabetes and underactive thyroid.
- DONT drink more than two alcoholic drinks per day.
- DONT change your diet or medicines without your doctors approval.
Eat Fatty Fish Twice Weekly
Fatty fish is well known for its benefits on heart health and ability to lower blood triglycerides.
This is mostly due to its content of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that is considered essential, meaning you need to get it through your diet.
Both the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and American Heart Association recommend eating two servings of fatty fish per week to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke .
Whats more, one study showed that eating salmon twice a week significantly decreased blood triglyceride concentration .
Salmon, herring, sardines, tuna, and mackerel are a few types of fish that are especially high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Summary
Fatty fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Eating two servings per week may lower triglyceride levels and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Read Also: How Much Cholesterol Is Too Much In Food
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If you’ve been diagnosed with high triglycerides, you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21.5 percent of all adults have above-normal triglyceride levels, also called hypertriglyceridemia or dyslipidemia. High levels of triglycerides may not come with specific symptoms, but they may coincide with both high total blood cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol levels. Having too many triglycerides in the blood can raise your risk of heart disease and insulin resistance, especially if you also have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
The good news? Whether you currently have high triglycerides or it runs in the family and you want to keep your levels down, there are natural ways to keep them on an even keel.
Which Is Better The Low
In another randomized controlled trial, the effects of a Mediterranean-style weight-loss diet were compared with low-carbohydrate and low-fat energy-restricted diets.After six months, triglyceride levels were reduced the most in the low-carb diet group. However, after 12 months, the Mediterranean-style diet showed similar reductions in triglycerides as the low carbohydrate diet.
After six months, triglyceride levels were reduced the most in the low-carb diet group. However, after 12 months, the Mediterranean-style diet showed similar reductions in triglycerides as the low carbohydrate diet.
How could this happen? How could two completely different diets provide us with similar triglyceride lowering effects? Lets dig through the biochemistry to see how this could be the case.
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Focus On Monounsaturated Fats
As opposed to saturated fats, unsaturated fats have at least one double chemical bond that changes the way your body uses them. Monounsaturated fats have only one double bond.
Some recommend a low fat diet for weight loss, but research is mixed on its effectiveness in controlling blood cholesterol.
One research report acknowledged that lower fat intake is an effective way to reduce blood cholesterol levels. However, researchers were concerned over potential negative effects of low fat diets, such as lowering HDL and increasing triglycerides .
In contrast, research has shown that a diet high in monounsaturated fats, such as the Mediterranean diet, helps reduce levels of harmful LDL and increase levels of healthy HDL .
Monounsaturated fats may also reduce the oxidation of cholesterol, according to research. Oxidized cholesterol can react with free radicals and contribute to clogged arteries. This can lead to atherosclerosis or heart disease .
Overall, monounsaturated fats are healthy because they decrease harmful LDL cholesterol, increase good HDL cholesterol and reduce harmful oxidation (
summary
Monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil, canola oil, tree nuts, and avocados reduce LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and reduce the oxidation that contributes to clogged arteries.
How To Reduce Triglycerides: Increase Your Intake Of Dietary Fiber
Studies show that low dietary fiber is associated with high levels of triglycerides and low levels of HDL good cholesterol. The current recommendation for fiber is about 25 to 30 grams daily. Unfortunately, the average American eats about 10 to 12 grams of fiber each day. No wonder were sick!
Avoid trying to get your fiber from carbohydrates such as wheat breads. Instead, increase your consumption of beans, oatmeal, apples, bananas, pears, greens, and sweet potatoes. You can also take psyllium fiber supplements. Psyllium not only helps reduce high triglycerides, but it also helps curb appetite and stabilize glucose levels, which in turn helps reduce carbohydrate cravings. It is best to follow the manufacturers dosing instructions and take the supplements with plenty of water.
Also Check: What To Do For High Cholesterol
Is It Possible To Lower Triglycerides Naturally
Similar to cholesterol, triglycerides come from the food we eat and our liver. When levels are normal, triglycerides are used for energy. The problems arise when levels are high, explains Dr. Nissen. When we make more triglycerides than we use, the rest are stored as fat. Thats why many people who are overweight or have type 2 diabetes have high levels.
Poor diabetes control is a major factor in causing high triglyceride levels, Dr. Nissen says. He stresses the importance of watching your carbohydrate consumption. Eating a low-carb diet and getting plenty of exercise are often effective in lowering triglyceride levels.
Avoid Foods Linked To High Triglyceride Levels
People with high triglycerides should avoid refined sugar, soft drinks, fatty animal protein, high-fat dairy, and simple carbs like white bread and pasta. Always read the nutrition facts labels and watch out for added sugars. Manufacturers use different names for sugar, including dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, barley malt, and beet sugar. Generally, avoid these foods if you are concerned about your triglyceride levels:
- Acute pancreatitis
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Eat Foods That Lower Triglycerides
If you’re wondering how to lower triglycerides through dietary changes, try the following foods.
Oats
You may be happy to learn that your morning oatmeal can naturally lower triglycerides, as long as it’s whole-grain, rather than instant. Researchers discovered that eating high-fiber oats lowered triglycerides more than wheat cereals. Scientists have linked fiber with a lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases, and oats are an excellent source of dietary fiber. You can also try steel-cut oats.
Beans
Not only are beans and other legumes a great source of fiber and nutrients, but they also lower triglycerides. Adults who ate two servings of beans to one serving of white rice had lower triglycerides, lower blood pressure, and lower fasting glucose levels compared to those who ate more rice than beans. Several other studies have found that beans lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Avocados
Whether you prefer to add them on top of whole-grain toast or serve them in guacamole, avocados are a natural defense against high triglycerides. Eating extra avocados for seven days lowered both triglyceride and cholesterol levels in one study of adults. Avocados are chock full of healthy oils, including monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat, and some researchers have suggested all people replace unhealthy saturated fat with avocados.
A Promising New Treatment For High Triglycerides
- By Gregory Curfman, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Former Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Health Publishing
When you think about fat circulating in the bloodstream, you might immediately think of cholesterol. But theres another type of fat you shouldnt ignore: triglycerides. As with cholesterol, high triglycerides can also increase the risk of having a heart attack. Existing drugs for lowering triglycerides arent that good at reducing heart attack risk. Thats why a report on a new way to lower triglycerides, New England Journal of Medicine, is generating some excitement among cardiologists.
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What High Triglycerides Mean For Your Heart & How To Lower Triglycerides Naturally
With the growing epidemic of childhood and adult obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, affecting more than 13 million Americans. Its estimated that 31 percent of the U.S population has high triglycerides, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
A 2007 meta-analysis involving a total of 3,582 incident cases of fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease indicates that there is a significant association between triglyceride values and coronary heart disease risk.
Thankfully, there are natural ways tolower cholesterol and triglyceride levels naturally with diet and lifestyle changes.
Why Do You Have High Triglycerides
However, one big problem arises if we live in westernized societies there is an over abundance of food at all time. If you are reading this right now, you probably live in an area where many different varieties of food are always available. In this kind of food environment, our emotional and instinctual desires override all logical sense, so most of us eat more calories and carbohydrates than we need.
In response to this influx in calories, the cells become stuffed with so much energy that they reject the signal to take more energy in that they receive from insulin . This is otherwise known as insulin resistance, and this causes a cascade of hormonal changes that increase blood sugar and triglyceride levels.
On top of that, carbohydrate consumption stimulates hepatic lipogenesis independent of insulin signaling.
What all of this means is that eating excess calories increases your chances of having high triglycerides levels and eating excess carbohydrates increases triglyceride levels, especially if those carbohydrates are coming from fructose and other processed sugars.
Hold on. What about the fat?
We are talking about triglycerides a type of fat. How could I talk about calories and carbohydrates and neglect to mention fat as a contributor to high triglyceride levels as well? Well, there is a good reason for that.
Read Also: Natural Remedies For Cholesterol And Triglycerides
How Are Triglycerides Measured
Your doctor may give you a common test called a lipid panel. It checks for different types of cholesterol, including the levels of the “good” kind and the “bad” kind. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone 21 and older get a lipid panel at least every 5 years.
The levels are checked after an overnight fast. Fat from a recent meal can muddy the picture.
These tests are important because you rarely have any symptoms when your triglycerides are high, unlike with many other conditions.
Consider Cutting Back On Carbs
You dont have to go full keto. But some research suggests that lower carb diets are tied to healthier triglyceride levels.
How low should you go? In a 2006 study, people who consumed about a quarter of their calories from carbs lowered their triglycerides more than those who got more than half their calories from carbs.
Read Also: Why Is My Cholesterol And Triglycerides High
Whats The Difference Between Triglycerides And Cholesterol
Triglycerides and cholesterol are the same in that theyre both lipids and both of them can be detected in a blood test called a lipid panel. Heres the difference: While triglycerides are formed from excess calories and stored as fat for energy, cholesterol is needed by the body to make hormones and support cell function.
Lowering Triglycerides Without Medication
Unless your triglycerides are extremely high, lifestyle changes are the best place to start. These simple steps can significantly lower triglyceride levels.
- Beware of bad fats. Cutting back on saturated fat and trans fats can lower triglycerides.
- Go for good carbs. Easily digested carbohydrates give triglycerides a definite boost. Eating whole grains and cutting back on soda can help control triglycerides.
- Check your alcohol use. In some people, alcohol dramatically boosts triglycerides. The only way to know if this is true for you is to avoid alcohol for a few weeks and have your triglycerides tested again.
- Go fish. Omega-3 fats in salmon, tuna, sardines, and other fatty fish can lower triglycerides. Having fish twice a week is fine.
- Aim for a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing just 5% to 10% of your weight can help drive down triglycerides.
- Get moving. Exercise lowers triglycerides and boosts heart-healthy HDL cholesterol.
- Stop smoking. It isnt good for triglyceride levels or for anything else.
About the Author
Gregory Curfman, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Former Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Health Publishing
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How Your Healthcare Provider Can Help
Your healthcare provider can help you get your triglyceride levels under control by ruling out possible causes like medications, thyroid issues, unmanaged diabetes and liver or kidney disease. They can then formulate an effective management plan with you. This might include medication and lifestyle changes like losing weight and eating smaller portions.
As mentioned before, a healthy, fiber-rich diet can help in the matter. Exercising regularly can also play a huge part in managing triglyceride levels. By cleaning up your existing routine, you could see changes in your triglyceride levels within a few months.
This article was adapted from Cleveland Clinic Heart Advisor.