ELEVATED LDL TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS WERE ROBUSTLY associated with cardiovascular disease, according to a new research study from Denmark.

Triglycerides are forms of fat circulating in your blood. You create triglycerides in your body or get them from the foods you consume. We need some triglycerides for health, but an excess amount in your blood can increase your heart attack and stroke risk.

Today we look at cholesterol basics before turning to the new study.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
― Hippocrates

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy material in each cell of our bodies. We need the substance to create vitamin D, hormones, and digestion-promoting agents. Our body makes all the cholesterol it needs, but we can also get it from food. Cholesterol travels in our blood in two protein forms, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

You may have heard some refer to LDL cholesterol as “bad cholesterol.” If we think of our arteries as pipes, LDL is the cholesterol type that can stick to the pipe walls. This process can cause blockages, change the artery walls, and increase pressure. One result of these changes is high blood pressure (hypertension).

High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL)

HDL carries cholesterol from other body parts to the liver. HDL removes excess cholesterol from the body. Because it performs this critical function, some refer to HDL as “good” cholesterol. To some degree, HDL counteracts LDL.

Did you know physical activity levels strongly influence that HDL? More active individuals typically have higher HDL levels.

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the third leg of the cholesterol equation. This specific fat type is carried by very low-density lipoprotein (VDL). Alcohol consumption can raise your triglyceride levels. In addition, eating more refined carbohydrates (or other things with lots of sugar) is associated with higher triglyceride levels.

High blood triglycerides are a lipid disorder (dyslipidemia). The condition may occur on its own or with other lipid disorders such as high blood cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol. Some individuals have elevated blood triglycerides as a part of metabolic syndrome.

High blood triglycerides are not usually associated with symptoms. Left untreated, high blood triglycerides can increase the risk of serious health issues, including coronary heart disease and stroke.

Moreover, very high triglyceride levels are associated with a higher risk of acute inflammation of the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can cause severe abdominal pain.

LDL triglycerides and heart disease

According to a study in which scientists used two different methods in two separate cohorts from a large European population study and verified their results with a meta-analysis,

High triglyceride molecule levels in LDL cholesterol appear robustly linked to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, including ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack), ischemic stroke, and peripheral artery disease.

Risk factors for high triglycerides

You can lower triglycerides in your blood by making heart-healthy lifestyle choices.

Certain medical conditions, genetics, lifestyle habits, and some medicines are risk factors for high blood triglycerides. Medical conditions that can increase blood triglyceride levels include:

• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Being overweight or obese
• Thyroid disease

Sometimes, inherited genes promote high blood triglyceride levels. My levels are slightly elevated — due to inherited genes from my father — but I have progressively used lifestyle interventions to lower the levels over the last three years.

Other triggers for triglyceride elevations may include being sedentary, consuming foods high in sugar and fat, or drinking too much alcohol. Some individuals have elevated levels secondary to medicines used for treating conditions such as breast cancer, HIV, high blood pressure, and other conditions.

I will end with some tips that may help you keep your triglycerides in check:

• Be physically active. Try to get a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise every week. For some, this means more yard work or walking more. Others may enjoy a swim or high-intensity interval training. The key? Choose activities you enjoy.
• Avoid smoking.
• Eat a balanced diet. The US Centers for Disease Control suggests limiting saturated fats and choosing foods low in added trans fat, sugar, and sodium. Lean meats and foods naturally high in fiber and unsaturated fats can help keep LDL and triglycerides low while supporting healthy HDL levels. I like the take from Forbes Health: View food on a continuum: “At one end is a diet of mostly refined and animal-based foods. There’s a whole-food, plant-based diet at the other end of the spectrum. Everyone sits somewhere in this range. She suggests moving more toward the whole-food, plant-based end of the spectrum to benefit your cholesterol levels.” Understand where you are on the continuum and take steps forward.
• Avoid smoking.
• Optimize your weight.
• Manage stress.

Now may be the time to try to control your triglycerides.

The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.

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