What Is High Triglycerides Number

What Should My Triglyceride Levels Be

Elevated levels of triglycerides are a risk factor for heart disease. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Triglyceride levels should be below 150 mg/dL .
• Levels between 150 mg/dL and 199 mg/dL are considered borderline high.
• Levels between 200-499 mg/dL are considered high.
• Levels above 500 mg/dL are considered extremely high.

What Are Risk Factors For High Triglycerides

Factors that may raise triglyceride levels include:

• Excessive alcohol use.

• American Academy of Family Physicians. High Cholesterol. Accessed 11/182/2021.
• American Heart Association. Cholesterol. Accessed 11/18/2021.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Getting Your Cholesterol Checked. Accessed 11/18/2021.
• Hormone Health Network. Triglycerides. Accessed 11/18/2021.
• MedlinePlus. Triglycerides Test. Accessed 11/18/2021.
• Merck Manual Consumer Version. Overview of Cholesterol and Lipid Fats. Accessed 11/18/2021.
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. High Blood Triglycerides. Accessed 11/18/2021.

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What Do My Test Results Mean

Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history, and other things. Your test results may be different depending on the lab used. They may not mean you have a problem. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean for you.

Results are given in milligrams per deciliter . Normal levels of triglycerides are less than 150 mg/dL.

Here are how higher numbers areclassified:

• 150 to 199 mg/dL: Borderline high

• 200 to 499 mg/dL: High

• 500 mg/dL and above: Very high

If you have a high triglyceride level, you have a greater risk for heart attack and stroke.

A triglyceride level above 150 mg/dL also means that you may have an increased risk for metabolic syndrome. This is a cluster of symptoms including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high body fat around the waist. These symptoms have been linked to increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

High triglyceride levels can also be caused by certain diseases or inherited conditions.

If your triglyceride level is above 200 mg/dL, your healthcare provider may recommend that you do the following:

If your triglycerides are extremely highabove 500 mg/dLyou may have an added risk for problems with your pancreas. You will likely need medicine to lower your levels along with recommended changes in diet and lifestyle.

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Causes Of High Triglycerides + Normal Levels

Biljana Novkovic, PhDJonathan Ritter, PharmD, PhD Puya Yazdi, MDBiljana Novkovic, PhD

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When Is It Ordered

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

• Acceptable: Less than 90 mg/dL
• Borderline high: 90-129 mg/dL
• High: Greater than 130 mg/dL

For young adults older than 19

• Acceptable: Less than 115 mg/dL
• Borderline high: 115-149 mg/dL
• High: Greater than 150 mg/dL

Note: These values are based on fasting triglyceride levels.

When triglycerides are very high ), there is a risk of developing pancreatitis in children and adults. Treatment to lower triglycerides should be started as soon as possible.

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What Causes Levels To Fluctuate

Triglyceride levels fluctuate naturally in response to many factors, including calorie intake and time of day. Eating a meal can cause an increase in triglycerides, which the body may store to use later when it needs energy.

These fluctuations are typically short-lived, but they are part of the reason why doctors may ask a person to fast before getting a lipid profile blood test.

Some health conditions may increase the risk of higher triglyceride levels. According to the

• hormone medications
• immunosuppressant drugs

Anyone who is uncertain about the side effects of their specific medication should speak with their doctor.

A person can use a few treatments to help lower their triglyceride levels.

What Causes High Triglycerides

There are many factors that can contribute to elevated triglyceride levels. In some cases, the cause can be as simple as a poor diet or unhealthy lifestyle choices. But in other cases, your genes, medical history, and medications can play a part.

To that end, here are some of the most common causes of high triglycerides and normal blood cholesterol levels.

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Treatment Of High Triglycerides

In most cases, high triglycerides are managed by making lifestyle changes. You may be advised to:

• Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
• Eat less, particularly high fat foods.
• Increase the amount of fibre in your diet.
• Avoid high sugar foods such as lollies. Choose foods with a low glycaemic index such as legumes and wholegrain products.
• Eat more fish. Choose fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and trout. Omega-3 in high doses can reduce triglyceride levels.
• Cut back on alcohol. The kilojoules and sugar in alcoholic drinks can raise triglyceride levels.
• Lose excess body fat using a combination of healthy eating and regular exercise.
• Manage coexisting health conditions such as diabetes or hypertension effectively.

How Often Should My Triglycerides Be Tested

If youâre a healthy adult, you should get a lipid profile every 4-6 years. Children should have it done at least once between the ages of 9 and 11, and one more time between 17 and 21. If youâre making changes to your diet or taking medication for high cholesterol or triglycerides, experts advise you to get a lipid profile afterward.

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Sedentary Lifestyle Or Lack Of Exercise

The amount of exercise you get can have an effect on your triglyceride levels. If you lead an inactive lifestyle, youâre more likely to accumulate extra calories, which your body will quickly transform into triglycerides for later use.

However, if you arenât staying active enough to use those triglycerides, theyâll hang around in your system.

When To Contact A Doctor

While high triglyceride levels typically do not cause symptoms, anyone concerned they may have high triglyceride or cholesterol levels should contact their doctor.

A doctor would usually measure triglyceride and cholesterol levels at the same time as high levels of either may contribute to heart conditions.

Doctors may recommend drug therapies in some cases. This may happen if a person has dangerously high triglyceride levels that need to come down quickly or if their levels do not respond to lifestyle and dietary changes.

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Can I Monitor Triglyceride Levels At Home

A few products are available to test lipid levels, including triglycerides, at home. There are two types of home testing: those where you collect the sample at home and then mail it away to a laboratory for testing and those where you conduct the test yourself at home . The American Heart Association hasnât taken a position on the use of home testing devices for measuring lipid levels.

Should My Child Have A Blood Lipid Test

A lipid screening is a test to look at the levels of the fats in the blood. In the past, doctors felt that children and teens were not at risk for high cholesterol levels. But we now know that children and teens are at risk. This is due to things such as:

• Being inactive from too much screen time and not enough exercise

• High-fat or high-sugar diets

• Family history of high cholesterol levels

Children and teens with high cholesterol are at higher risk for heart disease as adults. Keeping blood cholesterol levels in the normal range reduces this risk.

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How Do Triglycerides Circulate In The Blood

Pure cholesterol cannot mix with or dissolve in the blood. Instead, the liver packages cholesterol with triglycerides and proteins called lipoproteins. The lipoproteins move this fatty mixture to areas throughout the body.

Types of these lipoproteins include very low-density lipoproteins , high-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins .

Medications May Be Needed For High Triglyceride Levels

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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My Cholesterol Is Normal But My Triglycerides Are High: Why Is That

So both your HDL and LDL levels are where they should be, but your triglycerides are still high why is that?

Triglycerides become elevated due to excess calories that do not get burned off, and in turned get stored in fat cells. Statins are medications that primarily lower LDL cholesterol, but depending on the medication dose, can lower Triglycerides from 20 to 40 percent, Sai Hanumanthu MD, with the TriHealth Heart Institute explains.

There are steps you can take to lower your triglyceride levels while promoting good cardiovascular health, including:

• Losing 5 to 10 pounds if overweight
• Avoiding alcohol
• Avoiding foods high in saturated fats
• Limiting simple carbs that have high processed sugars .
• Participating in 30 minutes of exercise per day

All these suggestions and routine follow up with a medical professional will lower you triglyceride level, even despite a low total cholesterol, Dr. Hanumanthu says.

When Should You See A Doctor

Because high triglyceride levels usually do not cause any symptoms, theyre typically spotted when a doctor orders a blood test that includes a lipid panel.

If you do not have high risk factors, including health conditions and some lifestyle factors, a doctor will order a lipid panel every few years to check cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

If your lipid panel results show above normal triglyceride levels, a doctor may suggest lifestyle changes focused on diet and exercise. If diet and exercise do not have the desired effect, they may recommend medication such as statins or fibrates.

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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.

Why Do I Need This Test

You may need this test as part of a routine checkup. You may also need this test if you’re overweight, drink too much alcohol, rarely exercise, or have other conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes.

If you are on cholesterol-lowering medicines, you may have this test to see how well your treatment is working.

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Why The Test Is Performed

Triglycerides are usually measured together with other blood fats. Often it is done to help determine your risk of developing heart disease. A high triglyceride level may lead to atherosclerosis, which increases your risk for heart attack and stroke.

A very high triglyceride level may also cause swelling of your pancreas .

Are There Any Symptoms Associated With A High Level Of Triglycerides

Usually, most people with high triglyceride levels have no symptoms and the only means of discovering a high level is with blood tests. However, in rare cases, a person may have an extremely high level of triglycerides sustained over time and the individual may experience repeated bouts of acute pancreatitis. Some of the signs and symptoms include pain in the upper half of the stomach area that develops suddenly and then gradually gets worse, fever, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes jaundice. A person with severely high levels may also develop lesions on the skin called xanthomas. These typically appear as several small, round, solid, yellow bumps mostly on the back, chest, buttocks, shoulders and thighs.

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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.

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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Simple Carbohydrates And Sugar

A poor diet is by far the most common cause of high triglyceride levels, says Freeman. I consider high triglycerides as a marker that someone may not be eating as well as they should, he says. Excess calories and sugar are turned into triglycerides before being stored as fat, notes Cleveland Clinic.

A study published in May 2019 in the journal The BMJ found that consuming more than four servings of ultraprocessed foods per day increased the risk of mortality from all causes by 62 percent. These foods, which includes refined grains and added sugar, will also raise triglycerides, he says. Freeman advises his patients on how to transition to a low-fat, whole-foods, plant-based diet.

Which Medicines Can Lower Triglycerides

For some people, good habits may not be enough. Medication might be needed. The decision for you and your doctor can be complicated because other health conditions are usually involved. Several types of medicine can improve levels. They include:

• High doses of omega-3s are needed to lower triglycerides and should be taken only under a doctor’s care. Epanova, Lovaza, and Vascepa are prescription forms of omega-3s.

Your doctor may also prescribe a class of drugs called âstatinsâ that lower cholesterol. Examples include: atorvastatin , rosuvastatin , and simvastatin .

You may feel side effects from these drugs. Be sure to talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist.

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What Is A High Triglyceride Level

High triglycerides can be dangerous to your health. Unfortunately, high triglycerides, like high cholesterol, rarely causes symptoms. Its vital to get routine lipid blood tests to check cholesterol numbers.

Your healthcare provider determines total cholesterol by looking at a combination of triglycerides, HDL and LDL numbers. If your triglycerides and LDL cholesterol are high, but your HDL is low, you have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

For the most accurate reading, you should fast 8 to 12 hours before a lipid blood test. A healthy number for triglycerides is below 150 milligrams per deciliter .

Your healthcare provider classifies high triglyceride levels as:

• Mild: 150-199 mg/dL.
• Severe: Greater than 500 mg/dL.

What Is A Normal Triglyceride Level For A Woman

Women age 20 or older: A normal triglyceride level is below 150 mg/dL. You might need treatment if you have triglyceride levels that are borderline high or high .

What can I eat to bring my triglycerides down?

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.

Which is worse cholesterol or high triglycerides?

In fact, high triglycerides are as dangerous as bad cholesterol when it comes to your risk for heart disease. According to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , high triglycerides could be a problem for one-third of all Americans.

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