What Level Of Triglycerides Is Dangerous

How Can You Lower Triglyceride Levels

If you are diagnosed with high blood triglycerides, your doctor may first recommend that you adopt heart-healthy lifestyle changes. These may include:

• Choosing heart-healthy foods and limiting alcohol, added sugars, and foods high in saturated fat
• Getting regular physical activity
• Aiming for a healthy weight
• Getting enough good quality sleep
• Managing stress

Factors That Could Contribute To A Triglyceride Level Of :

• Diet: Diets that are high in fat, added sugar, and refined carbohydrates can increase triglyceride levels.
• Weight: Excess fat, particularly around the abdomen, can also increase triglycerides.
• Physical Activity: Being physically active can help lower triglyceride levels.
• Medications: Certain medicines can raise your triglyceride level including corticosteroids, beta-blockers, thiazide diuretics, antivirals, and estrogen.
• Some medical conditions: Diseases involving the thyroid, liver, or kidney, as well as poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, can change triglyceride levels.
• Smoking: Smoking is associated with high triglycerides.
• Excessive alcohol consumption: Heavy drinking can also contribute to high triglyceride levels.

Choose Healthy Fats Over Saturated Fats

Another way to lower triglycerides and cholesterol naturally is by eating healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol by increasing fat metabolism, according to the AHA. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in oily fish, such as salmon and herring, olive oil, and dietary supplements. For people with high triglycerides, the AHA recommends prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acid supplements at a dose of 4 grams per day, although its still best to get it from foods. Saturated fats, which come mainly from meat sources, should be limited to no more than 5 to 6 percent of your total daily calories, and your daily intake of cholesterol should be no more than 300 mg, according to the AHA.

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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.

Should You Worry About High Triglycerides

These blood fats can be one of the signs of metabolic syndrome, which increases the risk for having a heart attack or stroke.

Until recently, triglycerides tended to get less attention when looking at cardiovascular risk compared to LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. There’s no question that extremely high levels spell trouble and can lead to acute pancreatitis. But what about treating lower levels of triglycerides? Recent evidence suggests you should work to reduce triglyceride levels of they are higher than normal, especially if you have heart disease or have other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking.

Triglyceride levels

*All values in milligrams per deciliter

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How Do Triglycerides Get Into The Blood

When we eat foods containing triglycerides, such as meat, dairy products, cooking oils and fats, they are absorbed by our intestines and packaged into parcels of fats and protein called chylomicrons . These carry the triglycerides in the blood stream to our tissues to be used for energy straight away, or stored for later.

The body also makes its own supply of triglycerides in the liver. This form is carried in a different type of lipoprotein known as VLDL cholesterol.

When Should I Call My Doctor

If you develop new risk factors for cardiovascular disease, contact your healthcare provider. They may have you undergo a lipid panel or more frequent lipid panel screening.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Seeing an abnormal test result can be stressful. Know that having an abnormal lipid panel result doesnt necessarily mean you need treatment. While cholesterol and triglyceride levels can play a significant role in your overall health, many other factors contribute to your risk for cardiovascular disease. Your healthcare provider will take many factors about your health and history into consideration when determining the next steps. Together you will decide on a plan that works best for you.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/09/2021.

References

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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.

What To Do If Your Triglyceride Level Is 300

• Be physically active for 30-60 minutes 5x/week.
• Lose weight by reducing your calorie intake.
• Avoid refined carbs and limit added sugars to < 25g/day.
• Limit alcohol consumption to < 1-2 drinks per day.
• Eat healthier fats like those found in nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, and salmon.
• Avoid trans fats and limit saturated fat to < 10% of total calories.

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How To Lower Triglycerides Naturally

While some medications can address elevated triglyceride levels, one of the easiest ways to lower them is through diet.

What are the best foods to eat to lower triglycerides? Heres a list of some good foods to lower triglycerides:

• Fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, herring, and halibut that are rich in omega-3s
• Fiber-rich foods, including oats, flax meal, and beans
• Canola, sunflower, safflower, and olive oil, in place of animal fats

Of course, you will also want to know what foods to avoid if your triglycerides are high. What foods cause high triglycerides? Avoid eating these whenever you can:

• Refined carbohydrates
• Foods with fructose, especially high fructose corn syrup, and sugary drinks
• Starchy vegetables such as corn and peas
• Fatty meats, butter, and margarine

If you dont want to memorize what not to eat when you have high triglycerides, you may wish to learn what is included in a Mediterranean diet.

What Foods Will Help Lower Triglycerides

Foods that can help lower triglyceridesall 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.

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Triglyceride Is A Type Of Lipid Found In Your Blood And Its High Levels Can Be As Dangerous As Bad Cholesterol Follow These 7 Tips To Maintain Its Level

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Triglycerides are a type of lipid that is found in your blood. Most of your body fat is triglycerides as they are unused calories we eat but dont require. Triglycerides in the blood assist in transferring the adipose fat from one tissue to another and glucose in the blood from the liver. Eating food rich in fat content that the body does not require is immediately stored in the fat cells in the form of triglycerides.

What Are The Five Tests In A Lipid Panel

A lipid panel measures five different types of lipids from a blood sample, including:

• Total cholesterol: This is your overall cholesterol level the combination of LDL-C, VLDL-C and HDL-C.
• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: This is the type of cholesterol thats known as bad cholesterol. It can collect in your blood vessels and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: This is a type of cholesterol thats usually present in very low amounts when the blood sample is a fasting samples since its mostly comes from food youve recently eaten. An increase in this type of cholesterol in a fasting sample may be a sign of abnormal lipid metabolism.
• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol: This is the type of cholesterol thats known as good cholesterol. It helps decrease the buildup of LDL in your blood vessels.
• Triglycerides: This is a type of fat from the food we eat. Excess amounts of triglycerides in your blood are associated with cardiovascular disease and pancreatic inflammation.

While these are the main measurements in a standard lipid panel, some versions of the test may include other measurements.

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What Are The Next Steps If My Lipid Panel Results Are Abnormal

Since many factors contribute to cardiovascular disease and every person is unique, theres no one single way to treat abnormal levels of cholesterol and/or triglycerides.

If you have abnormal lipid panel results, your healthcare provider may recommend one or more of the following actions:

• Continued lipid monitoring.
• Lifestyle changes, such as changing your diet or starting an exercise routine.
• Starting a cholesterol-lowering medication.

What Foods Decrease Triglycerides

Foods that can help lower triglyceridesall 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.

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Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

High triglyceride levels are associated with a collection of disorders known as metabolic syndrome. A person with metabolic syndrome has an increased risk of developing diabetes, stroke or heart disease.A person is classed as having metabolic syndrome when they have any three of the following factors:

• Central obesity excess fat in and around the stomach
• High blood pressure
• Higher than normal blood glucose levels
• Low HDL cholesterol
• High blood triglycerides.

What Causes High Triglyceride Levels

One may develop hypertriglyceridemia if they consume more calories than they can burn. Hypertriglyceridemia is caused by a regular intake of excess calories that the body cannot use immediately. It can also happen due to excess sugar intake, obesity, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, etc.

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The Truth About Triglycerides

Youve probably had your blood tested for cholesterol by your healthcare provider. This test measures your total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. It also measures your triglycerides, which can tell your provider a lot about your health. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. Most of your body’s fat is stored as triglycerides.

Do Bananas 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, …

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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.

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 .

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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.

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.

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What Happens With High Triglycerides

Triglycerides are lipids that give your body energy. Your body makes triglycerides and also gets it from the foods you eat. High triglycerides combined with high cholesterol raise your risk of heart attack, strokes and pancreatitis. Diet and lifestyle changes can keep triglyceride levels in a healthy range.

What Is A Lipid Panel Used For

Healthcare providers use lipid panels to help assess someones cardiovascular health by analyzing cholesterol in their blood and to help diagnose other health conditions.

Reasons a provider may order a lipid panel include:

• As a routine test to determine if your cholesterol level is normal or falls into a borderline-, intermediate- or high-risk category.
• To monitor your cholesterol level if you had abnormal results on a previous test or if you have other risk factors for heart disease.
• To monitor your bodys response to treatment, such as cholesterol medications or lifestyle changes.
• To help diagnose other medical conditions, such as liver disease.

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Why Do I Need A Lipid Panel Blood Test

There are several reasons why you may need a lipid panel blood test. Healthcare providers use lipid panels often for screen and monitoring purposes.

If you have one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease, your provider may suggest frequent screening through the use of a lipid panel to try to catch elevated cholesterol levels before you have symptoms. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:

• Being over age 45 if youre a man or you were assigned male at birth and over 50 if youre a women or you were assigned female at birth.
• Having a high cholesterol result on a previous test.
• Having diabetes or prediabetes.
• Having a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling, who developed heart disease at an early age .

Children can also have high cholesterol, so your child may need a lipid panel blood test. Cholesterol levels in children are linked to three factors: heredity, diet and obesity. In most cases, kids with high cholesterol have a parent who also has elevated cholesterol.

While providers mostly use lipid panels for screening or monitoring cholesterol levels, providers sometimes use them as part of the diagnostic process for certain health conditions that can affect your lipid levels, including:

If youre experiencing symptoms of any of these conditions, your provider may have you undergo a lipid panel blood test.

What Are Normal Lipid Panel Results

The optimal level for each of the four standard tests in a lipid panel are as follows:

• Total cholesterol: Below 200 mg/dL.
• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol: Above 60 mg/dL.
• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: Below 100 mg/dL .
• Triglycerides: Below 150 mg/dL.

If your results are higher or lower than the target range, they may be classified as borderline-, intermediate-, or high-risk for cardiovascular issues. In general, higher-than-normal levels of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides and lower-than-normal levels of HDL can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Its rare to have abnormally low levels of cholesterol. If you do, its usually due to a health condition thats causing malnutrition.

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Low Levels May Be Associated With Worse Outcomes In Some Conditions

In one study, people with heart failure and lower levels were more likely to die from heart complications. The levels associated with risk were around 120 mg/dL on average, while levels of 130-149 mg/dL were considered protective .

Upon further analysis, the researchers concluded that only women with heart failure and low triglycerides may be at an increased risk of dying. According to them, low triglyceride levels may point to more advanced stages of heart failure .

In another study, people with lung scarring had triglycerides under 57 mg/dL, which was about 60% lower than the values of healthy controls .

Similarly, people with autoimmune disease had 50-70% reduced triglyceride levels compared to healthy people in a different study. Researchers suggested that low triglyceride levels might actually be a marker of autoimmunity and an overactive immune response .

Its important to note here that low triglycerides in all of these cases are not causing any of these conditions. They are the effect of these conditions. For example, in heart failure, low triglycerides may be due to liver damage due to diminished oxygen supply or increased levels of inflammation.

There is no proof that low triglyceride levels are harmful in and of themselves.