Understanding Triglycerides

Brought to you by

Are there triglyceridelowering drugs?

If diet and exercise don’t bring triglycerides down enough, there are some drugs that can help. These work best when you combine them with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Fibrates. Fibrates lower triglycerides and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Niacin. Niacin is a B vitamin. Various prescription and overthe-counter preparations are available. Talk with your doctor before trying niacin on your own. Some non-prescription forms are not very effective and in some cases may cause liver damage.

Written by

Harvard

It’s worth the effort

Medical School

The lifestyle changes that can lower triglycerides also lower your chances of getting heart disease and dying from it.

When diet and exercise aren’t enough, there are drugs that can help. The first step is to talk with your doctor about what you need to do to keep your heart healthy. That includes keeping your cholesterol and triglycerides at a healthy level.

Understanding Triglycerides

For More Information American Heart Association www.heart.org 1-800-242-8721

Statins. Statins are the standard drugs used to lower cholesterol. Doctors usually recommend statins when a person has high triglycerides and high levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol because these drugs lower both.

Fish oil supplements. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids.

You can get omega-3s by eating oily fish or by taking a fish oil supplement.

American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org 1-800-DIABETES

What else can I do?

You can do two more important things to lower your triglycerides: lose weight and exercise regularly.

If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar. You can do this with diet and exercise as well as medication (if necessary).

Lose weight. Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can cause a 20% drop in your triglyceride levels.

Exercise regularly. Exercising at moderate intensity most days of the week will also help. Try walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming. Take the stairs when you can, and park a distance from your destination and walk.

Brought to you by:

Patient Education Center & Harvard Medical School Patient Education Center 2127 Second Avenue North Fort Dodge, IA 50501 service@patientedu.org About This Brochure: This brochure was written by practicing physicians from Harvard Medical School. It is part of a series developed and distributed by the Patient Education Center. All the information in this brochure and on the associated Web site (www.patientedu.org) is intended for educational use only; it is not intended to provide, or be a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Only a physician or other qualified health care professional can provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician on all matters of your personal health. Harvard Medical School, the Patient Education Center, and its affiliates do not endorse any products.

Consulting Physician: Anthony L. Komaroff, MD Senior Director, Editorial Operations: Jonathan Nichol Editorial Director: Keith D’Oria

www.patientedu.org

© Copyright Harvard Medical School.

Printed on 10% post-consumer recycled paper.

Read this brochure online. Scan the QR code or visit:

PEC-PC-TRI-001

www.patientedu.org/triglycerides

What are triglycerides?

What causes high triglycerides?

hen you eat, your body absorbs nutrients from food. The body takes the fats you consume, breaks them apart, and then puts them back together in the form of triglycerides (try-GLEH-sirides). This type of fat travels in the blood stream. Your triglycerides go up after you eat and then fall as your body either uses them for energy or stores them as fat.

The most common cause of high triglycerides is a diet rich in fatty foods and refined carbohydrates (including sugar), such as soft drinks, breads, and sweets. Being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and lack of exercise can all contribute to high triglycerides.

W

People with high triglycerides also often have a high level of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and a low level of HDL (“good” cholesterol). This combination can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

A high triglyceride level is also part of a condition called metabolic syndrome. You have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following conditions: • Large waist size.

• Low HDL cholesterol.

• High blood pressure.

• High triglycerides.

• High blood sugar.

Metabolic syndrome makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or have a heart attack or stroke. Very high triglycerides can damage the liver and pancreas.

Several health conditions can also cause triglycerides to go up. These include an underactive thyroid, chronic kidney disease, poorly controlled diabetes, liver disease, an excess of certain hormones, the use of certain medications, and some genetic conditions.

High triglycerides can also run in families.

How can I get my triglycerides down?

First, look at your diet and make necessary changes.

Avoid added sugar. One of the most important things you can do is avoid or limit added sugars in your diet. You will find added sugars in sodas, fruit drinks and juices, cookies, cakes, pies, syrup, candy, ready-to-eat cereals, and many other foods and drinks.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes.

Are my triglyceride levels normal?

Doctors usually check triglyceride levels when doing a lipid profile blood test. That’s the same test that measures your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels.

The goal is to keep triglycerides below 150 mg/dL. Triglyceride level Less than 150 mg/dL

Triglyceride category Normal

150–199 mg/dL

Borderline high

200–499 mg/dL

High

500 mg/dL and above

Very high Source: National Cholesterol Education Program.

Choose whole grains over refined carbohydrates. Select stoneground whole-wheat bread and brown rice, over white bread and white rice. Look for labels that say “100% whole wheat” (or oats or rye or another grain). Read the label to make sure that the first item listed is a whole grain.

Eat more fiber. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.

Eat fish. Omega-3 fats—found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, char, and halibut—can help lower triglyceride levels.

Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated vegetable oils also lower triglycerides. Choose from olive, canola, peanut, corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils.

Avoid unhealthy fats. Limit saturated fats, such as those found in whole milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, and red meat. Avoid trans fats, which are found in stick margarine, deep-fried foods, and many fast foods.

Limit alcohol. In some people, drinking alcohol dramatically increases triglyceride levels. To see how alcohol affects you, avoid alcohol for a few weeks and have your triglycerides tested again.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes. The table below can guide your food choices.

Eat plenty of these foods Fruits & vegetables

Whole grains

Fish and seafood

Vegetable oils

Nuts

Dairy products

Eat these foods in moderation Unprocessed red meat

Eggs

Avoid or strictly limit these foods Processed meat

Sugary drinks

Highly refined and processed grains and sugars

What are triglycerides?

What causes high triglycerides?

hen you eat, your body absorbs nutrients from food. The body takes the fats you consume, breaks them apart, and then puts them back together in the form of triglycerides (try-GLEH-sirides). This type of fat travels in the blood stream. Your triglycerides go up after you eat and then fall as your body either uses them for energy or stores them as fat.

The most common cause of high triglycerides is a diet rich in fatty foods and refined carbohydrates (including sugar), such as soft drinks, breads, and sweets. Being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and lack of exercise can all contribute to high triglycerides.

W

People with high triglycerides also often have a high level of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and a low level of HDL (“good” cholesterol). This combination can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

A high triglyceride level is also part of a condition called metabolic syndrome. You have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following conditions: • Large waist size.

• Low HDL cholesterol.

• High blood pressure.

• High triglycerides.

• High blood sugar.

Metabolic syndrome makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or have a heart attack or stroke. Very high triglycerides can damage the liver and pancreas.

Several health conditions can also cause triglycerides to go up. These include an underactive thyroid, chronic kidney disease, poorly controlled diabetes, liver disease, an excess of certain hormones, the use of certain medications, and some genetic conditions.

High triglycerides can also run in families.

How can I get my triglycerides down?

First, look at your diet and make necessary changes.

Avoid added sugar. One of the most important things you can do is avoid or limit added sugars in your diet. You will find added sugars in sodas, fruit drinks and juices, cookies, cakes, pies, syrup, candy, ready-to-eat cereals, and many other foods and drinks.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes.

Are my triglyceride levels normal?

Doctors usually check triglyceride levels when doing a lipid profile blood test. That’s the same test that measures your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels.

The goal is to keep triglycerides below 150 mg/dL. Triglyceride level Less than 150 mg/dL

Triglyceride category Normal

150–199 mg/dL

Borderline high

200–499 mg/dL

High

500 mg/dL and above

Very high Source: National Cholesterol Education Program.

Choose whole grains over refined carbohydrates. Select stoneground whole-wheat bread and brown rice, over white bread and white rice. Look for labels that say “100% whole wheat” (or oats or rye or another grain). Read the label to make sure that the first item listed is a whole grain.

Eat more fiber. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.

Eat fish. Omega-3 fats—found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, char, and halibut—can help lower triglyceride levels.

Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated vegetable oils also lower triglycerides. Choose from olive, canola, peanut, corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils.

Avoid unhealthy fats. Limit saturated fats, such as those found in whole milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, and red meat. Avoid trans fats, which are found in stick margarine, deep-fried foods, and many fast foods.

Limit alcohol. In some people, drinking alcohol dramatically increases triglyceride levels. To see how alcohol affects you, avoid alcohol for a few weeks and have your triglycerides tested again.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes. The table below can guide your food choices.

Eat plenty of these foods Fruits & vegetables

Whole grains

Fish and seafood

Vegetable oils

Nuts

Dairy products

Eat these foods in moderation Unprocessed red meat

Eggs

Avoid or strictly limit these foods Processed meat

Sugary drinks

Highly refined and processed grains and sugars

What are triglycerides?

What causes high triglycerides?

hen you eat, your body absorbs nutrients from food. The body takes the fats you consume, breaks them apart, and then puts them back together in the form of triglycerides (try-GLEH-sirides). This type of fat travels in the blood stream. Your triglycerides go up after you eat and then fall as your body either uses them for energy or stores them as fat.

The most common cause of high triglycerides is a diet rich in fatty foods and refined carbohydrates (including sugar), such as soft drinks, breads, and sweets. Being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and lack of exercise can all contribute to high triglycerides.

W

People with high triglycerides also often have a high level of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and a low level of HDL (“good” cholesterol). This combination can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

A high triglyceride level is also part of a condition called metabolic syndrome. You have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following conditions: • Large waist size.

• Low HDL cholesterol.

• High blood pressure.

• High triglycerides.

• High blood sugar.

Metabolic syndrome makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or have a heart attack or stroke. Very high triglycerides can damage the liver and pancreas.

Several health conditions can also cause triglycerides to go up. These include an underactive thyroid, chronic kidney disease, poorly controlled diabetes, liver disease, an excess of certain hormones, the use of certain medications, and some genetic conditions.

High triglycerides can also run in families.

How can I get my triglycerides down?

First, look at your diet and make necessary changes.

Avoid added sugar. One of the most important things you can do is avoid or limit added sugars in your diet. You will find added sugars in sodas, fruit drinks and juices, cookies, cakes, pies, syrup, candy, ready-to-eat cereals, and many other foods and drinks.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes.

Are my triglyceride levels normal?

Doctors usually check triglyceride levels when doing a lipid profile blood test. That’s the same test that measures your LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol levels.

The goal is to keep triglycerides below 150 mg/dL. Triglyceride level Less than 150 mg/dL

Triglyceride category Normal

150–199 mg/dL

Borderline high

200–499 mg/dL

High

500 mg/dL and above

Very high Source: National Cholesterol Education Program.

Choose whole grains over refined carbohydrates. Select stoneground whole-wheat bread and brown rice, over white bread and white rice. Look for labels that say “100% whole wheat” (or oats or rye or another grain). Read the label to make sure that the first item listed is a whole grain.

Eat more fiber. Good sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains.

Eat fish. Omega-3 fats—found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, char, and halibut—can help lower triglyceride levels.

Choose healthy fats. Unsaturated vegetable oils also lower triglycerides. Choose from olive, canola, peanut, corn, soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils.

Avoid unhealthy fats. Limit saturated fats, such as those found in whole milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, and red meat. Avoid trans fats, which are found in stick margarine, deep-fried foods, and many fast foods.

Limit alcohol. In some people, drinking alcohol dramatically increases triglyceride levels. To see how alcohol affects you, avoid alcohol for a few weeks and have your triglycerides tested again.

Triglyceride-lowering diets can help keep you trim and reduce your chances for getting heart disease and diabetes. The table below can guide your food choices.

Eat plenty of these foods Fruits & vegetables

Whole grains

Fish and seafood

Vegetable oils

Nuts

Dairy products

Eat these foods in moderation Unprocessed red meat

Eggs

Avoid or strictly limit these foods Processed meat

Sugary drinks

Highly refined and processed grains and sugars

Brought to you by

Are there triglyceridelowering drugs?

If diet and exercise don’t bring triglycerides down enough, there are some drugs that can help. These work best when you combine them with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Fibrates. Fibrates lower triglycerides and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Niacin. Niacin is a B vitamin. Various prescription and overthe-counter preparations are available. Talk with your doctor before trying niacin on your own. Some non-prescription forms are not very effective and in some cases may cause liver damage.

Written by

Harvard

It’s worth the effort

Medical School

The lifestyle changes that can lower triglycerides also lower your chances of getting heart disease and dying from it.

When diet and exercise aren’t enough, there are drugs that can help. The first step is to talk with your doctor about what you need to do to keep your heart healthy. That includes keeping your cholesterol and triglycerides at a healthy level.

Understanding Triglycerides

For More Information American Heart Association www.heart.org 1-800-242-8721

Statins. Statins are the standard drugs used to lower cholesterol. Doctors usually recommend statins when a person has high triglycerides and high levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol because these drugs lower both.

Fish oil supplements. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids.

You can get omega-3s by eating oily fish or by taking a fish oil supplement.

American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org 1-800-DIABETES

What else can I do?

You can do two more important things to lower your triglycerides: lose weight and exercise regularly.

If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar. You can do this with diet and exercise as well as medication (if necessary).

Lose weight. Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can cause a 20% drop in your triglyceride levels.

Exercise regularly. Exercising at moderate intensity most days of the week will also help. Try walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming. Take the stairs when you can, and park a distance from your destination and walk.

Brought to you by:

Patient Education Center & Harvard Medical School Patient Education Center 2127 Second Avenue North Fort Dodge, IA 50501 service@patientedu.org About This Brochure: This brochure was written by practicing physicians from Harvard Medical School. It is part of a series developed and distributed by the Patient Education Center. All the information in this brochure and on the associated Web site (www.patientedu.org) is intended for educational use only; it is not intended to provide, or be a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Only a physician or other qualified health care professional can provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician on all matters of your personal health. Harvard Medical School, the Patient Education Center, and its affiliates do not endorse any products.

Consulting Physician: Anthony L. Komaroff, MD Senior Director, Editorial Operations: Jonathan Nichol Editorial Director: Keith D’Oria

www.patientedu.org

© Copyright Harvard Medical School.

Printed on 10% post-consumer recycled paper.

Read this brochure online. Scan the QR code or visit:

PEC-PC-TRI-001

www.patientedu.org/triglycerides

Brought to you by

Are there triglyceridelowering drugs?

If diet and exercise don’t bring triglycerides down enough, there are some drugs that can help. These work best when you combine them with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Fibrates. Fibrates lower triglycerides and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Niacin. Niacin is a B vitamin. Various prescription and overthe-counter preparations are available. Talk with your doctor before trying niacin on your own. Some non-prescription forms are not very effective and in some cases may cause liver damage.

Written by

Harvard

It’s worth the effort

Medical School

The lifestyle changes that can lower triglycerides also lower your chances of getting heart disease and dying from it.

When diet and exercise aren’t enough, there are drugs that can help. The first step is to talk with your doctor about what you need to do to keep your heart healthy. That includes keeping your cholesterol and triglycerides at a healthy level.

Understanding Triglycerides

For More Information American Heart Association www.heart.org 1-800-242-8721

Statins. Statins are the standard drugs used to lower cholesterol. Doctors usually recommend statins when a person has high triglycerides and high levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol because these drugs lower both.

Fish oil supplements. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids.

You can get omega-3s by eating oily fish or by taking a fish oil supplement.

American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org 1-800-DIABETES

What else can I do?

You can do two more important things to lower your triglycerides: lose weight and exercise regularly.

If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar. You can do this with diet and exercise as well as medication (if necessary).

Lose weight. Losing just 5% to 10% of your body weight can cause a 20% drop in your triglyceride levels.

Exercise regularly. Exercising at moderate intensity most days of the week will also help. Try walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming. Take the stairs when you can, and park a distance from your destination and walk.

Brought to you by:

Patient Education Center & Harvard Medical School Patient Education Center 2127 Second Avenue North Fort Dodge, IA 50501 service@patientedu.org About This Brochure: This brochure was written by practicing physicians from Harvard Medical School. It is part of a series developed and distributed by the Patient Education Center. All the information in this brochure and on the associated Web site (www.patientedu.org) is intended for educational use only; it is not intended to provide, or be a substitute for, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Only a physician or other qualified health care professional can provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician on all matters of your personal health. Harvard Medical School, the Patient Education Center, and its affiliates do not endorse any products.

Consulting Physician: Anthony L. Komaroff, MD Senior Director, Editorial Operations: Jonathan Nichol Editorial Director: Keith D’Oria

www.patientedu.org

© Copyright Harvard Medical School.

Printed on 10% post-consumer recycled paper.

Read this brochure online. Scan the QR code or visit:

PEC-PC-TRI-001

www.patientedu.org/triglycerides