What Should Your Triglycerides Number Be

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.

Triglycerides Normal Range And High Range

A lipid panel would test a persons blood for the levels of:

• Total cholesterol, HDL, LDL cholesterol

A general blood test can show you if you are in a healthy range of triglyceride or not:

For Adults:

• Normal Less than 150 milligrams per deciliter , or less than 8.33 millimoles per liter
• Borderline high 150 to 199 mg/dL
• High 200 to 499 mg/dL
• Very high 500 mg/dL or above

For Children :

• Normal Less than 90 milligrams per deciliter , or less than 5 millimoles per liter
• Borderline high 90 to 129 mg/dL
• High 130 or above mg/dL

For Children :

• Normal Less than 75 milligrams per deciliter , or less than 4.17 millimoles per liter
• Borderline high 75 to 99 mg/dL
• High 100 or above mg/dL

A healthcare provider might ask a person to avoid eating, or fasting, for 12 hours or so prior to the test. Every person must aim for a non-fasting level of TGs i.e., under 150 mg/dL. If a physician has requested a person to fast for a test , then the levels must be under 30 mg/dL. This fasting test number is quite low as only the TGs prepared by the liver and transported to the VLDL cholesterol would be assessed, not the TGs obtained from food products. As a person has not consumed anything, no chylomicrons would be present in the blood.

• Immunosuppressants

Symptoms Of High Blood Cholesterol

Usually, the firstsymptom of high cholesterol is the simply the consequence of harboring an undetected heart issue that results in a heart attack or other peripheral vascular disease.

Individuals who suffer from extremely high cholesterol levels sometimes develop deposits of fat under the skin and in tendons, a condition called xanthomas. Spleen, liver or pancreas problems may also emerge when cholesterol levels are out of control.

Undergoing blood tests and comparing cholesterol numbers to a cholesterol chart is the most accurate and reliable method to use when deciding whether high cholesterol levels exist.

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How Is High Cholesterol Diagnosed

Lipoprotein panel is a type of blood test that can measure cholesterol levels. Before the test, the patient may need to fast for 9-12 hours. The test gives information about different types of cholesterol:

• Total cholesterol: Shows the total amount of cholesterol in the blood. It includes both low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
• LDL cholesterol: Transports cholesterol particles throughout the body. LDL cholesterol is often called the bad cholesterol because it builds up in the walls of the arteries, making them hard and narrow.
• HDL cholesterol: Picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to your liver.
• Non-HDL: Number is total cholesterol minus HDL. Non-HDL includes LDL and other types of cholesterol such as very lowdensity lipoprotein .
• Triglycerides: Another form of fat in the blood that can increase your risk for heart diseases, especially in women, is triglycerides.

Too much of the bad kind, or not enough of the good kind, increases the risk that cholesterol will slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain.

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

What Is This Test

This group of tests measures the amount of cholesterol and other fats in your blood.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are lipids, or fats. These fats are important for cell health, but they can be harmful when they build up in the blood. Sometimes they can lead to clogged, inflamed arteries, a condition call atherosclerosis. This may keep your heart from working normally if the arteries of your heart muscle are affected.

This panel of tests helps predict your risk for heart disease and stroke.

A lipid panel measures these fats:

• Total cholesterol

• High total cholesterol

If you are already being treated for heart disease, you may have this test to see whether 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 .

The American Heart Association Recommends

All adults age 20 or older should have their cholesterol checked every four to six years. If certain factors put you at high risk, or if you already have heart disease, your doctor may ask you to check it more often. Work with your doctor to determine your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke and create a plan to reduce your risk.

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How Can I Lower My Cholesterol

There are two main ways to lower your cholesterol:

• Heart-healthy lifestyle changes, which include:
• Heart-healthy eating. A heart-healthy eating plan limits the amount of saturated and trans fats that you eat. Examples include the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet and the DASH Eating Plan.
• Weight Management. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower your LDL cholesterol.
• Physical Activity. Everyone should get regular physical activity .
• Managing stress. Research has shown that chronic stress can sometimes raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol.
• Quitting smoking.Quitting smoking can raise your HDL cholesterol. Since HDL helps to remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries, having more HDL can help to lower your LDL cholesterol.
• Drug Treatment. If lifestyle changes alone do not lower your cholesterol enough, you may also need to take medicines. There are several types of cholesterol medicines available, including statins. The medicines work in different ways and can have different side effects. Talk to your health care provider about which one is right for you. While you are taking medicines to lower your cholesterol, you should continue with the lifestyle changes.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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 doctors 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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How Do You Measure Triglycerides

A blood test measures triglyceride levels. Your provider may want you to be fasting, but thats not always necessary. In fact, high levels when youre not fasting may be a better predictor of heart disease risk.

Triglycerides can vary from one day to the next. So if you eat a very fatty or starchy meal the night before your blood test, it will usually raise your triglyceride level.

But genetically high triglycerides will be high no matter what you eat. If you know that high triglycerides run in your family, avoid foods like pasta, ice cream, or steak for 1 to 2 days before your blood test. That will give your provider a clearer look at your baseline level.

Factors That Affect Cholesterol Levels

Several factors can affect your cholesterol levels. This includes age and gender, diet, weight, exercise, and genes. For starters, its normal for cholesterol levels to rise as we get older. Women also tend to have lower cholesterol levels than men. That is until they reach menopause. After that, womens LDL levels often rise and the HDL may drop.

Furthermore, being overweight and lack of exercise can increase your TG. However, simply being more active and managing a healthy weight will help lower your TG and raise your HDL.

What you eat plays a big role in your cholesterol levels. Consuming saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol can all increase your cholesterol levels. Finally, if high cholesterol runs in your family, you may be at a greater risk for developing it.

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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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Diagnosis Of High Triglycerides

A blood test can reveal whether or not you have high triglycerides. You may need to have two blood tests for accurate results. Dont eat anything for at least 12 hours before each blood test because food particularly fatty food can temporarily boost triglyceride levels in the blood and skew your test results.Triglycerides are measured in mmol/L. The range includes:

• Very high over 6 mmol/L
• High between2 and 6 mmol/L
• Borderline high between 1.7 and 2 mmol/L
• Normal below 1.7 mmol/L

The doctor may also test your cholesterol levels. In many cases, high triglycerides and high cholesterol go hand in hand. This condition is sometimes known as combined hyperlipidemia.

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What You Can Do

Many of the steps you should take to lower triglycerides are the same ones you should take to protect your heart and health overall.

If youre overweight, shed a few pounds. Get regular aerobic exercise . Limit the saturated fats in meat and dairy products. Watch your alcohol intake, even moderate drinking ramps up triglyceride levels. And diet? High-carb/low-fat eating will increase your triglycerides and lower your HDL.

If youre taking a statin to lower your LDL, one side benefit may be reduced triglyceride levels. Depending on the dose, statins can lower triglycerides by 20%40%.

The omega-3 fats in fish and capsules are another triglyceride-lowering option. For a very high triglyceride level, your doctor can prescribe a high-dose omega-3 medication.

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Health Effects Of High Triglycerides

Although high triglyceride levels can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, this fact has not been conclusively proven.

However, it is well known that elevated triglyceride levels are closely associated with a number of conditions that clearly increase cardiovascular risk, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, elevated LDL cholesterol, and obesity. This means that most people with high triglyceride levels are at increased risk and must take proactive steps to reduce that risk.

Also, very high levels of triglycerides can cause pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, which can be a very dangerous condition.

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Cholesterol Chart For Adults

Your doctor may recommend a plan of treatment for high cholesterol that includes lifestyle modifications and potentially medication. This will vary based on factors like other medications you may be taking, your age, sex, and general health.

Here are some medications more commonly prescribed for high cholesterol:

• Statins.Statins lower the LDL cholesterol levels by slowing the production of cholesterol by the liver.
• Bile acid sequestrants.Bile acid sequestrants are substances used in digestion. These resins can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by binding to bile acids and removing them, forcing the body to break down LDL cholesterol to create bile acids instead.
• Cholesterol absorption inhibitors.Cholesterol absorption inhibitors can block the absorption of cholesterol from the diet, sometimes in conjunction with statins.
• Bempedoic acid.Bempedoic acid helps to stop an enzyme in the liver, ATP citrate lyase, from making cholesterol. This drug is often combined with statins for increased benefit for those with familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition that can cause early heart disease.
• PCSK9 inhibitors. Also used frequently with familial hypercholesterolemia, PCSK9 inhibitors, which are injected drugs, help the liver absorb and remove more LDL cholesterol from the blood.

Medications can also be used to treat contributing factors to cholesterol like triglycerides. These may be used in addition to some of the medications above.

Treatment And Next Steps

After confirming that you have elevated blood triglycerides, your doctor may suggest various options depending on the level of triglycerides in your blood and other risk factors you might have. Your doctor will likely test for other conditions that could be secondary causes of high triglyceride levels. In many cases, lifestyle and diet changes may be enough to manage the condition.

If your triglyceride levels are very high or your doctor is concerned about your risk for heart disease or other complications, they may prescribe medications such as statins. Statins can help lower blood lipid levels. Other medications called fibrates, such as gemfibrozil and fenofibrate , also have an important role in the treatment of high triglycerides.

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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 Is The Danger Level Of Triglycerides

Theres no question that extremely high levels spell trouble and can lead to acute pancreatitis. But what about treating lower levels of triglycerides?

Triglyceride levels
500 or higher

What is considered high level of triglycerides?

Normal triglyceride levels are < 150 mg/dL. Triglyceride levels between 150 and 199 mg/dL are borderline high. High triglyceride levels occur at 200499 mg/dL. Anything over 500 mg/dL is considered very high.

Whats the normal level of triglycerides in the blood?

Normal triglyceride levels in the blood are less than 150mg per deciliter . Borderline levels are between 150-200 mg/dL. High levels of triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and therefore coronary artery disease and stroke .

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How Do I Prepare For The Test

You may need to not eat or drink anything but water for 12 to 14 hours before this test. In addition, be sure your healthcare provider knows about all medicines, herbs, vitamins, and supplements you are taking. This includes medicines that dont need a prescription and any illicit drugs you may use.

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.

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Limit Your Sugar Intake

Added sugar is a big part of many peoples diets.

While the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 100150 calories of added sugar per day, one study found that the average American eats about 308 calories of added sugar daily .

Added sugar is commonly found in sweets, soft drinks, and fruit juice.

Extra sugar in your diet may be turned into triglycerides, which can lead to an increase in blood triglyceride levels, along with other heart disease risk factors.

A 2020 review that included data on 6,730 people found that those who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages regularly were over 50% more likely to have high triglycerides, compared with those who did not drink them regularly .

Another study found that consuming high amounts of added sugar is also associated with higher blood triglyceride levels in children .

Fortunately, several studies have shown that low carb diets can lead to a decrease in blood triglyceride levels .

Even a simple change such as replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water could decrease triglycerides in some people .

Summary

Minimizing added sugar in your diet from sugary beverages and sweets can reduce your blood triglyceride levels.