Everything You Need to Know About Triglycerides
More than one-third of adults have high triglyceride levels. These fats, the main type in blood, provide energy and are vital for health.
High triglyceride levels can cause serious health problems. These include heart disease, pancreatitis, and stroke. Low triglyceride levels, on the other hand, can be associated with malnutrition and thyroid disorders.
What are Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a basic fat molecule in the blood. They store most of the body's fat and provide energy. Chemically, they are composed of a glycerol molecule and three fatty acids. They are the basic form of fat in which the body stores excess calories.
Triglyceride metabolism occurs in the liver. Triglyceride levels increase, especially after a carbohydrate-rich diet. The insulin hormone stimulates the conversion of glucose to triglycerides, while liponeogenesis defines this process.
Ideal level: Below 150 mg/dL
Borderline high: 150-199 mg/dL
High: 200-499 mg/dL
Very high: Over 500 mg/dL
The breakdown of triglycerides occurs through lipolysis between meals, during exercise, or during prolonged fasting.
Triglycerides are found in both animal and vegetable fats. They make up approximately 95% of dietary fats. They help transport fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K throughout the body.
What Does it do?
It’s not just fat but a key part of vital body functions. Their primary function is to store excess energy for use when needed. They have twice the energy-carrying capacity of carbohydrates and proteins. During fasting or intense exercise, they break down by lipase to provide quick energy and protect muscles. Normal levels help keep body temperature, protect organs, and maintain metabolic balance. Low triglyceride levels can lead to the loss of these protective functions.
Triglycerides from food are broken down in the intestines with lipase and bile. They enter the bloodstream and reach body cells through lipoproteins. Although the brain cannot use fatty acids directly, triglycerides are essential for energy, protection, and metabolic balance.
How Do Triglyceride Levels Affect the Body?
It is a critical factor that directly affects our health. Triglyceride levels that deviate from normal values can cause various health problems in our body.
High Triglycerides
This is when the triglyceride level in the blood exceeds 150 mg/dL. This condition often progresses unnoticed but can lead to serious health risks. Values above 500 mg/dL, in particular, can become a condition requiring urgent intervention.
It also helps form plaque in artery walls, raising the risk of atherosclerosis. This can cause serious heart problems like heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. It also increases the risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). It can manifest itself with symptoms such as sudden, severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
In addition, it can cause fatty liver disease and, in advanced cases, liver cirrhosis. It can occur with insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and obesity as part of metabolic syndrome. It also makes blood sugar control harder in type 2 diabetes patients.
Low Triglycerides
This condition occurs when blood triglyceride levels fall below 50 mg/dL. Though less common than high levels, it may signal serious health issues.
At low levels, the body shows symptoms like numbness, coldness, dry skin, hair breakage, and muscle loss. Causes include malnutrition, heavy smoking, alcohol use, poor diets, and thyroid problems.
Both high and low triglyceride levels indicate that the body's energy metabolism is not functioning properly. Therefore, regularly monitoring triglyceride levels in blood tests and maintaining them within the normal range is of great importance for overall health, particularly cardiovascular health.
How to Maintain Balanced Triglyceride Levels?
Maintaining balanced triglyceride levels is critical for cardiovascular health. Consuming foods rich in fiber is an important protective factor, considering that a low-fiber diet can cause triglyceride levels to rise. Regular exercise, especially at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, can reduce triglyceride levels by up to 40%. Short bursts of intense exercise have also been shown to be more effective. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids should be supported through sources such as fish like salmon and mackerel, and plant-based sources like walnuts and flaxseeds. Additionally, monounsaturated fats like olive oil should be preferred, while trans fats, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates should be avoided.
Even a 5% reduction in body weight can lead to a significant decrease in triglyceride levels. Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption is also effective in preventing increases. In cases of low triglyceride levels, balanced nutrition and regular health check-ups are of great importance. In cases where lifestyle changes are insufficient, medication may be prescribed under a doctor's supervision.