Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body and in the foods you eat. They circulate in the bloodstream and serve as the body's primary form of stored energy — when you eat more calories than you need, the excess is converted to triglycerides and stored in fat cells for later use. When energy is needed between meals, hormones trigger the release of triglycerides from fat stores to be used as fuel.

Triglyceride levels are measured as part of a standard lipid panel blood test, alongside total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL. Normal triglyceride levels are below 150 mg/dL; borderline high is 150-199; high is 200-499; and very high is 500 mg/dL or above. Elevated triglycerides are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly when combined with low HDL cholesterol — a pattern commonly seen in metabolic syndrome.

Very high triglycerides (above 500 mg/dL) also increase the risk of pancreatitis — a painful and potentially dangerous inflammation of the pancreas. Common causes of elevated triglycerides include excess caloric intake (particularly from refined carbohydrates and sugar), obesity, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, uncontrolled diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and certain medications (including some beta-blockers, corticosteroids, and estrogen).

If your triglyceride levels are elevated, your healthcare provider will likely recommend lifestyle modifications as the first-line approach: reducing refined carbohydrates and added sugars, limiting alcohol, increasing physical activity, achieving healthy weight, and increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake through fatty fish or supplements.

For very high triglycerides (>500 mg/dL) or when lifestyle changes are insufficient, medications may be necessary — including fibrates, prescription omega-3s (icosapent ethyl), and statins. Addressing underlying conditions like uncontrolled diabetes or hypothyroidism is also critical for normalizing triglyceride levels.