Triglycerides: Health Risks And Ways To Lower The Levels

To check your hypertension and cholesterol levels you need to monitor your triglyceride levels.

Making sure to track your triglyceride levels from time to time can help to curb the chances of having many issues related to the heart and other organs.

One of the best ways to lower your triglyceride level is to have a healthy diet with good physical activity, which reduces triglyceride levels. Also, the doctor may prescribe some medications to keep these levels in check and avoid any health hazards.

Table Of Contents

1. What Are Triglycerides?

2. What Are The Safe Levels Of Triglycerides?

3. How Does Triglyceride Circulate In The Blood?

4. How Is Cholesterol Different From Triglycerides?

5. Causes And Symptoms Of Triglycerides

6. Ways To Lower The Triglyceride Levels

7. Food Table To Maintain Triglycerides Levels

8. Dietitian’s Recommendation

9. The Final Say

10. FAQs

What Are Triglycerides?

Triglyceride is the  type of fat which is more common in the body and comes from many fats like oil, butter and other fats that you eat. 

Triglyceride also comes when you consume excess calories, which your body does not require to change and gets stored in fat cells.

A high triglyceride can cause coronary heart disease and other heart-related issues.

What Are The Safe Levels Of Triglycerides?

The following table shows the appropriate levels of triglycerides in one's body.

How Does Triglyceride Circulate In The Blood?

The cholesterol cannot mix with the blood, and the liver binds cholesterol with triglycerides and proteins known as lipoproteins. Whereas the lipoproteins circulate in the body.

There are three types of lipoproteins named HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein), LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) and VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein).

How Is Cholesterol Different From Triglycerides?

Cholesterol is an odourless waxy substance produced by the liver and used to build cell walls. It plays the role of hormone production and digestion by helping the nervous system. Cholesterol is not fat, but triglycerides are fats.

The prevalence rate of fasting dyslipidaemia in the first phase of ICMR (Indian Counsil Of Medical Research) Indian study’22, restricted to urban and rural populations in 4 states in India, was hypercholesterolemia. 

In 13.9%, high triglycerides in 29.5%, low HDL cholesterol in 72.3% and high LDL cholesterol in 11.8%

Causes And Symptoms Of Triglycerides

Following are the causes and symptoms of triglycerides for you to keep a check on them.

What Are The Causes Of Triglycerides?

Underwritten are some factors that can mess with triglyceride levels and should be prevented.

• Alcohol consumption in excess
• Consuming more calories than you burn, especially sugar
• Smoking
• Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Kidney and liver disease
• Genetic disorders 
• Thyroid 
• Genetic disorders
• Some medicines

What Are The Symptoms Of Having High Triglycerides?

High levels of triglycerides level may trigger inflammation in the pancreas, leading to permanent tissue damage if not consulted with a doctor. Symptoms can also include severe abdominal pain. 

1. Pancreatitis

Symptoms of pancreatitis include fever, stomach pain, nausea, rapid heart rate, vomiting and fast breathing. Also, excess alcohol can trigger the disease of pancreatitis.

2. Xanthomas

The deposition of fats under the skin is known as xanthomas. They are in different sizes and have an orange or yellow colour, which is a warning sign of high triglyceride and high cholesterol.

These are most common on elbows, knees, buttocks, and ankles and also occur on eyelids and can be cured once the triglyceride levels are controlled.

3. Some Other Signs

You can also get swelling in your spleen or liver. High triglycerides can cause blood supply blocks to the brain, and the heart, which can cause chest pain and less supply of blood to the brain can cause blurred vision, numbness, dizziness, confusion and headache (severe).

Ways To Lower The Triglyceride Levels

A slightly strict lifestyle and mindful eating can bring a lot of control in triglyceride levels.

ToneOp provides a checklist to keep a check on what you eat and prevent this condition from worsening.

1. No Sugar

High triglycerides awaken the sweet tooth, and simple sugar increases the triglyceride. So try to avoid simple sugar in breakfast cereals, candy, yoghourt, ice cream and bakery items.

2. Check What You Eat  

Saturated fats may increase the level of triglycerides in the body. So reduce the consumption of red meat, cheese, whole milk and foods high in saturated fats.

3. Have More Of Fibre 

Increase the fibre intake in fruits, vegetables, seeds, oats, quinoa, and whole grains as the triglycerides bind with the insoluble fibre and flush out the body smoothly.

4. Look For Hidden Sugar

Check for food labels with added sugar, like fruit juices, canned foods, and many other packaged foods. Not just for high triglyceride levels but in general, a lot can happen on consuming too much sugar. Hence avoid consuming sugar in your daily life to prevent any disease. 

5. Avoid Red Meat And Eat More Of Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines contains omega-3 fatty acids can be consumed. So instead of having pizza, burgers and other fried foods, have these fishes in your diet, which will help to lower the triglycerides.

6. Have The Right Fat

Have more healthy fats like walnuts, olive oil, avocadoes, and other fats, which have more MUFA (Monounsaturated Fatty Acid) and PUFA (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid), which are great for reducing the levels of triglycerides.

7. Reduce Alcohol Intake

Alcohol consumption can trigger the onset of high triglycerides in the body. Instead, have more green tea, herbal tea and lemon water to reduce excess levels.

8. Keep Your Weight In Check

Extra weight can lead to high triglyceride and cholesterol levels. So make sure to lose weight if you feel you have gained the extra pounds.

9. Do More Of Physical Exercise

High-intensity exercise and other aerobic exercises can curb the chances of high triglycerides. So have more aerobic and cardio exercises like swimming, cycling, walking and running.

Food Table To Maintain Triglycerides Levels

Consumption of these underwritten foods can trigger triglyceride levels and worsen the situation. 

Dietitian’s Recommendation 

Triglycerides are waxy substance obtained from oils and other fried products like red meat, bakery, processed foods etc.

Ways to lower triglycerides:

• Having good physical activity will help reduce triglycerides.
• Have more healthy fats which have MUFA and PUFA, for, e.g. canola oil, avocado, sunflower oil etc. 
• Do not consume more bakery products. Instead, have more light snacks like makhana, roasted moong and chana.

                          -Dietitian Akshata Gandevikar 

The Final Say

High triglyceride levels can cause many health problems, including heart and other organ issues, and can hinder the body's smooth functioning. 

Consult your doctor for a regular checkup of the triglycerides and cholesterol can help to lower the chances of having hazardous effects. You can also consult your dietitian for better food options to help control the onset of triglycerides.

FAQs

1. What are the common reasons for having triglycerides?

Obesity, being overweight, and excess consumption of alcohol is the main trigger for having triglycerides.

2. Do sugars cause triglycerides?

Yes! Refined sugars, alcohol and other simple sugars increase the chances of triglycerides.

3. What are the normal triglyceride levels?

Less than 150mg/dL is the normal level of triglycerides in the body.

4. High triglycerides increase the risk of heart disease?

Yes! High triglycerides increase the risk of heart diseases like stroke and high blood pressure.

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