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Triglycerides What are triglycerides? The fat in the food you eat is mostly in the form of triglycerides.
Triglycerides are the main type of fat transported by your body. Triglycerides are a normal component of your bloodstream. After you eat,
your body digests the fats in your food and repackages the fat as triglycerides,
which are released into your bloodstream. The blood carries the triglycerides
throughout your body to give you energy or to be stored as fat. Your liver also
produces triglycerides and changes some into cholesterol. Your liver can change
any source of excess calories into triglycerides. What is a normal
triglyceride level? Triglyceride levels
vary with age. They also depend on how recently you have eaten before the test.
The measurements will be most accurate if you haven’t eaten in the last 12
hours or so. Generally, an acceptable triglyceride level is 150 mgldL or less.
Triglycerides rarely reach extremely high levels, except in people with an
inherited tendency toward high levels. How are triglycerides
associated with cholesterol? When you eat,
triglycerides combine with a protein in your blood to form what is called
high-density and low-density lipoproteins. These lipoprotein particles contain
cholesterol. For triglycerides made
in your liver, the process is similar. Your liver gathers carbohydrates and
protein left over from a meal and changes them to fat. This fat then combines
with protein and cholesterol to form very low density lipoproteins, which are
released into your bloodstream. What are the risks of high
triglyceride levels? If your cholesterol is
normal, an elevated triglyceride level does not appear to be a risk factor for
heart disease. Elevated triglyceride levels, however, have been associated with
diabetes and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). What causes high
triglyceride levels? Elevated triglyceride
levels may have several causes: •
Weight gain. Triglyceride levels usually increase as your weight
increases. •
Excess calories, especially from sugar and alcohol. Alcohol increases
your liver’s production
of triglycerides and reduces the amount of fat cleared from your blood. •
Age. Triglyceride levels steadily increase as you grow older. •
Medications. Certain drugs, such as birth control pills, steroids, and
diuretics (water pills) can cause triglyceride levels to rise. •
Illness. Medical conditions associated with high triglyceride levels are
diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, and liver disease. •
Heredity. Some forms of high triglycerides occur among members of the
same families. How is it diagnosed? A simple blood test can diagnose high triglyceride levels. Your health
care provider will ask you not to eat for about 12 to 14 hours before your blood
is taken. This allows the triglycerides from your food to be completely
eliminated. Your provider wants to know only the amount of triglycerides being
made by your body, not what is produced by eating. How is it treated? Treatment for elevated triglyceride levels includes the following. •
Lose weight. Weight loss alone often will lower your triglyceride levels. •
Exercise. Regular exercise makes weight loss quicker and easier. •
Eat less sugar and sugar-containing foods. Instead of sweetened fruit
juices, use fresh unsweetened fruit or unsweetened fruit juice. Instead of
putting sugar in your coffee, use an artificial sweetener. •
Eat your meals and snacks throughout the day. Don’t eat just 2 large
meals a day. •
Drink less alcohol. Some people are very sensitive to alcohol’s ability
to increase the liver’s production of triglycerides. •
Limit fat to less than 30% of your daily calories. If these lifestyle changes don’t lower your triglyceride levels, your
health care provider may prescribe a medicine such as gemfibrozil or nicotinic
acid (niacin). Gemfibrozil decreases the liver’s production of triglycerides
and clears triglycerides from your blood. It also helps reduce cholesterol.
Niacin in large doses also helps reduce total cholesterol as well as
triglyceride levels. Check with your provider before taking niacin to make sure
it is OK for you to take it. Your provider will recommend a dosage for you. Fish oil also has been found to reduce triglycerides. Two or three meals
of fish such as salmon or mackerel every week may help lower your triglyceride
levels. Developed by McKesson Clinical Reference Systems. Published by McK~son Clinical Reference S stems. This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Adult Health Advisor 2002.2 Index Adult Health Advisor 2002.2 Credits Copyright © 199 1-2002 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved. |
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