Do you know Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body? Your body stores and uses this type of fat for energy between meals. If the level of triglycerides in your blood is elevated, it could mean you’re at high risk for health problems.

What are Triglycerides?

When you eat, the extra calories, sugar, and alcohol that your body doesn’t need right away is converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. When you need energy, hormones release the triglycerides.

If you typically consume more high-carbohydrate foods than you burn, you could have a high triglyceride level.

High triglyceride levels (hypertriglyceridemia) are considered a high-risk factor for narrowing of the arteries which can lead to stroke, heart attack, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

If your triglyceride levels are high, you could be at high risk for pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and liver disease.

Triglycerides and cholesterol are both made in your liver and consumed from food. They both circulate in your blood. Although there are similarities, they have different functions:

While triglycerides are a type of fat or lipid that store unused calories, cholesterol is a lipoprotein used to build cells, produce certain hormones, and generate vitamin D

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What are the causes and risks of high Triglyceride levels?

Your triglyceride levels could be high based on factors such as:

A family history of high cholesterol

Excessive use of alcohol

Unhealthy eating habits (for example, diet high in sugar and simple carbohydrates)

Being overweight or obesity

Uncontrolled diabetes

Experiencing liver or kidney disease

High blood pressure

Taking certain medications (e.g, diuretics, hormones, corticosteroids, beta-blockers)

Menopause

Smoking

Thyroid disease

Higher than normal triglyceride levels may put you at risk for arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls), heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. If your triglyceride levels are high, you’re at risk for pancreatitis and liver disease.

Best way to lower high triglyceride levels?

The three primary ways to lower high triglyceride levels are:

Eating a healthy diet

Exercising (aerobic) on a regular basis

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight

Healthy lifestyle choices that lower high triglyceride levels include:

Good diet. Avoid simple carbohydrates (such as sugar and foods made with white flour or fructose), trans fats, and foods with hydrogenated oils or fats.

Instead of the fat found in meats, choose healthier plant-based fats (such as olive oil and canola oil).

Replace red meat with fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as mackerel or salmon). Limit or avoid alcohol consumption (high in calories and sugar)

Exercise, Physical activity. Engage in a minimum of 40 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, 3 to 4 times every week.

Maintain a healthy Weight. Because extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored as fat, if you reduce your calories, you will reduce triglycerides. Target and maintain a healthy weight with diet and exercise.

Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes

Getting enough sleep

Managing stress

Quit smoking

Also bare in mind that if healthy lifestyle changes aren’t enough to control high triglycerides, your doctor might recommend prescription medications, including statins, such as rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor) and atorvastatin calcium (Lipitor) or fibrates, such as gemfibrozil (Lopid) and fenofibrate (TriCor, Fenoglide).

You doctor may also suggest a supplement such as niacin (nicotinic acid) or fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids).