How To Lower Triglycerides
Your doctor will determine if you need treatment to lowering triglycerides by talking with you about your current diet and lifestyle, and evaluating your triglyceride level, your LDL cholesterol level, and your potential risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Here are some of the reasons your doctor might discuss medications to lower triglycerides with you:
- You have metabolic syndrome. This condition includes a combination of abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. If you have metabolic syndrome and tried diet and lifestyle changes for three months without success, triglyceride-lowering medications may be needed.
- Previous medication lowered your total cholesterol but not your triglycerides. If your cholesterol is well controlled, but your triglyceride level is still too high, at or above 200 mg/dL, triglyceride-lowering medications may help.
- You have very high triglycerides. If your triglyceride level is at or higher than 500 mg/dL, you may need to start medications to lower triglycerides even before reaching lower cholesterol levels.
Supplements And Medications To Lower Triglycerides
Some diabetes medications, Actos , for example, will also lower triglycerides, says Shurmur. However, this drug may cause or worsen congestive heart failure, warns the FDA.
What Are The Symptoms Of High Levels
High cholesterol does not have any noticeable symptoms, so very many people are living their lives oblivious to the fact that they have too-high cholesterol and are at risk of heart disease and stroke.
This is why it is often referred to as the “silent killer.”
Egg yolks have the highest cholesterol of any food.
Read Also: Is Coconut Oil Good For High Cholesterol Patients
Eggs Are Ok Cheese And Butter Not So Much
Theres good news about a different breakfast food: eggs. For decades, people watching their cholesterol were cautioned against eating them, due to their high cholesterol content. But now experts say that eating an egg a day likely wont do much harm when it comes to your cholesterol levels.
Recent studies have found that some high-cholesterol foods, like eggs and shellfish, may not impact your risk for heart disease as much as others, like fried foods .
Just remember to watch how those eggs are prepared. In omelets, for example, that cheese and butter are full of something that does raise cholesterol: saturated fat. The same goes for the bacon and sausage that are often served alongside your eggs.
AARP Membership $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
How To Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally Without Medication
In order to lower cholesterol naturally without medication, we are really talking about the lifestyle changes that will help to reduce cholesterol. Your doctor would have advised whether to use lifestyle changes only or to use them in conjunction with medication such as statins.
Right then, here are four ways to lower your cholesterol naturally:
Also Check: Will Coconut Oil Increase Cholesterol
Develop Healthy Sleep Habits
Sleeping too little is common but detrimental to your health. In fact, loss in sleep is associated with increased cholesterol levels and related problems, such as high triglycerides and blood pressure. To improve your sleep, aim for consistent bed and waking times, sleep in a cool, dark, comfortable room, and avoid stimulating activities, such as working on a computer, before bed.
Too Much Of A Good Thing
No doubt: Fruit is good for you, especially if you’re having a piece of fruit instead of a rich dessert. But when you have high triglycerides, you may need to limit yourself to 2-3 pieces of fruit a day. That way, you won’t get too much of the natural sugars that are in fruit. If you’re having dried fruit, remember that the serving size is much smaller: 4 tablespoons of raisins , for example.
You May Like: How To Help Lower Your Cholesterol
What Foods Decrease Triglycerides
Foods that can help lower triglycerides all vegetables, especially leafy greens, green beans, and butternut squash. all fruits, especially citrus fruits, and berries. low fat or fat-free dairy products, such as cheese, yogurt, and milk. high-fiber whole grains, such as quinoa, barley, and brown rice.
How do you get your triglycerides down?
Reducing your calories will reduce triglycerides. Choose healthier fats. Trade saturated fat found in meats for healthier fat found in plants, such as olive and canola oils. Instead of red meat, try fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel or salmon.
Mechanism Accounting For The Lomitapide Induced Lipid Effects
Lomitapide is a selective inhibitor of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein . MTP is located in the endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes and enterocytes where it plays a key role in transferring triglycerides onto newly synthesized apolipoprotein B leading to the formation of VLDL and chylomicrons . Loss of function mutations in both alleles of MTP results in abetalipoproteinemia, which is characterized by the virtual absence of apolipoprotein B, VLDL, chylomicrons, and LDL in the plasma due to the failure of the liver and intestine to produce VLDL and chylomicrons . Lomitapide by inhibiting MTP activity reduces the secretion of chylomicrons by the intestine and VLDL by the liver leading to a decrease in LDL, apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, non-HDL-C, and Lp .
Read Also: How Many Mg Of Cholesterol In An Egg
Take Vitamins To Help Lower Cholesterol
There are certain vitamins that help to prevent and alleviate high cholesterol…
Vitamin C
Vitamin C can help to lower cholesterol by inhibiting the enzyme that helps to produce cholesterol in your body. In addition, research tells us that regular vitamin C helps to heal arteries damaged by high cholesterol.
In essence, when vitamin C values are low, your body produces more cholesterol. When your vitamin C levels are high, less cholesterol is produced.
You can increase your vitamin C through diet, in such foods as chili peppers, bell peppers, fresh herbs , dark green leafy vegetables, oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, red cabbage, and so on.
But you can also take vitamin C in supplemental form. However, if you are considering this, it’s best to consult your doctor / physician about the correct dosage for you.
Vitamin E
The vitamin E family consists of 2 types — tocopherols and tocotrienols — each of which is further broken down into 4 forms — alpha, beta, gamma and delta.
Delta tocotrienol is noted for having the strongest cholesterol-lowering properties.
A study by the Kenneth Jones Heart Foundation found that the delta tocotrienol form of vitamin E lowered LDL cholesterol by an average 25%. It also showed that this form of vitamin E could inhibit the build-up of plaque in the arteries.
Another study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2005, showed that eating almonds can increase vitamin E levels in the body and lower cholesterol levels.
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.
Don’t Miss: Does Alcohol Contribute To High Cholesterol
Triglycerides In Your Blood
In addition to cholesterol, your blood also contains a type of fat called triglycerides, which are stored in your bodys fat deposits. Hormones release triglycerides to make energy between meals.
When you eat, your body converts any extra energy it doesnt need right away into triglycerides.Like cholesterol, your body needs triglycerides to work properly. However, there is evidence to suggest that some people with high triglycerides are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you regularly eat more energy than you need, you may have high triglycerides.
Cut Back On Added Sugar
A sugary diet can cause your liver to make more LDL cholesterol while lowering your HDL levels. Excess sugar can also raise your triglycerides and inhibit an enzyme that breaks them down. To prevent this, replace sugary fare with naturally-sweet alternatives. Instead of a bowl of candy, for example, have unsweetened applesauce or a baked pear. When you do indulge in high-sugar treats, stick to modest portions.
Recommended Reading: Could High Cholesterol Cause Dizziness
If Lifestyle Changes Arent Enough
Take medications, if you need to, to lower your cholesterol into healthy ranges. Drugs like statins can be very effective, says Dr. Danine Fruge, MD, ABFP – Medical Director at the Pritikin Longevity Center, but do continue in your efforts to eat well and exercise because a healthy lifestyle can give you far, far more than drugs alone.
With a healthy living program like Pritikin, youre not only reducing cholesterol quickly, youre also creating changes throughout your body that can profoundly improve your overall well-being. Youre reducing blood sugar levels and blood pressure. Other heart disease risk factors like triglyceride fats are also dropping dramatically. Youre also reducing inflammatory factors that sicken arteries. Youre shedding excess weight. And, quite simply, youre feeling better, much better. Many of our guests at Pritikin tell us, I had no idea I could feel this good again.
Can any pill or combination of pills do all of the above? I highly doubt it. But a healthy lifestyle like Pritikin can.
What Is High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is made by your liver. Its a waxy substance that your body uses to build cells, among other processes.
Eating fatty foods and oils can cause your liver to make extra cholesterol. It can also come from the meat and dairy products in your diet.
When you have a cholesterol screening, the levels of two types of cholesterol will be reported in your results: LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.
LDL cholesterol is whats known as bad cholesterol. High LDL can also be linked to high triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that comes from your diet.
If you have too much LDL cholesterol, it can build up into a hard, waxy substance in your arteries, called plaque. When this happens, your arteries become narrow and less flexible.
High cholesterol is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular conditions such as heart disease and stroke. But while HDL cholesterol is considered good cholesterol, and
You May Like: Natural Remedies For High Cholesterol And Triglycerides
What Home Remedy Will Lower Triglycerides
This article explores 13 ways to naturally reduce your blood triglycerides.
What foods are low in triglycerides?
The following is a list of well-known natural foods that lower triglycerides: Salmon: Cold water fish such as salmon , tuna, and cod have omega-3 fatty acids that have been linked to significantly reduced triglyceride levels. Whole grains: This may include bread, pasta, cereals, and brown rice.
Look At Your Prescription Meds
A bunch of different drugs can potentially raise triglyceride levels, including oral estrogen, corticosteroids, and antipsychotic drugs.
If your numbers recently measured high, be sure to review any prescription drugs you might be taking with your doctor. If one of your meds is the culprit, you can talk figure out a plan for protecting your heart health.
Also Check: Can Be Avoided By Eating Foods Low In Cholesterol
How Can I Lower My Cholesterol With Medicines
As well as making lifestyle changes, some people will need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines to reduce their risk of heart and blood vessel disease, known as cardiovascular disease. The medicines most commonly used are called statins.
Your doctor will consider all your risk factors for cardiovascular disease before suggesting medication not just your cholesterol and lipid results. If youve already had a heart attack or stroke, taking statins can substantially lower your risk of having another one.
Statins work by slowing the amount of cholesterol made in your liver. In response, your liver uses the cholesterol already in your blood to make up for the deficit. This lowers the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood.
If statins alone do not lower your cholesterol enough, you may need additional medicines.
What does it mean when you have high triglycerides? How do you lower your triglycerides?
If youve been told that you have high triglycerides a type of fat found in the bloodstream youre not alone. One report suggests that nearly one-third of Americans have elevated triglycerides.1
Higher than normal triglyceride levels are a problem because theyre associated with increased risk of metabolic dysfunction, heart attacks, and strokes.2
Although many people focus on the risks associated with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglycerides may be even more predictive of future heart events.3
Heres what you need to know about reducing your triglycerides.
Work In Some More Movement To Your Daily Tasks
Do I need to start running every day? Do I need to join a gym or buy a bunch of home fitness equipment? If you want to, go ahead! But there are many other choices, and finding a routine that works for you is whats most important. After all, the best exercise for heart health, is the one that youll stick with.
Simple swaps to get more exercise each day
Ideally, you want to aim for at least 2.5 hours of moderate physical activity every week. You can break that up however you like. You might focus on doing something every day, or you could dedicate yourself to just a few days per week. The key is to just get started.
For example, do you usually take the elevator? Take the stairs instead. Do you walk your dog every day? Go a little farther than usual or walk at a faster pace. Need to go shopping? Park farther away than you normally do. Catching up on your favorite TV series? Try stretching, dumbbells or kettlebells while youre watching rather than just sitting on the couch. Also look for chances to bring motion into your daily life, such as walking while you talk on the phone.
If youre feeling good, work up to more intense physical activity, like swimming laps, jogging or hot yoga. Dont overexert yourself, but remember that regular and consistent exercise has benefits beyond managing your cholesterol. It also helps reduce blood pressure and builds your overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Also Check: How Much Cholesterol Should You Have Per Day
Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol Without Medication
Cholesterol is a waxy substance in your blood and is also found in certain foods. Ideally, your total cholesterol levels will fall under 200 milligrams per deciliter . Your LDL, or bad cholesterol, levels should fall under 100 mg/dL. And your HDL, or good cholesterol, should stay at 40 mg/dL or higher. If you have high cholesterol levels, changing your lifestyle can go a long way.
Dr. Javier Sosa and our team at Woodlands Primary Healthcare provide blood tests to help identify cholesterol-related risk factors. We can also make lifestyle recommendations that suit your specific needs.
Here are nine ways you can lower your cholesterol levels without medication:
How To Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of lipid, or fat, your body produces to store extra calories and provide energy. Cholesterol is another lipid that circulates in your blood. Your body uses cholesterol to build cells and produce hormones.
Both triglycerides and cholesterol are essential for your health but having levels that are too high puts your health at risk. Living a healthy lifestyle helps to keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels within a normal range.
This article covers how triglycerides and cholesterol affect your health and how you can lower them naturally.
Luis Alvarez / Getty Images
Don’t Miss: How Bad Is High Cholesterol
Eating Well + Exercise
For best results with a healthy lifestyle, new research has found that plunging right in with both healthy eating and exercising is the way to go.3
The Stanford University School of Medicine study involved 200 middle-aged Americans, all sedentary and with poor eating habits. Some were told to launch new food and fitness habits at the same time. Others began dieting but waited several months before beginning to exercise. A third group started exercising but didnt change eating habits till several months later.
All the groups received telephone coaching and were followed for one year. The winning group was the one making food and exercise changes together. The people in this group were most likely to meet U.S. guidelines for exercise and healthy eating , and to keep calories from saturated fat at less than 10% of their total intake of calories.
For best results with a healthy lifestyle, new research has found that plunging right in with both healthy eating and exercising is the way to go.3