Triglycerides
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of fat. They are the most common type of fat in your body. They come from foods, especially butter, oils, and other fats you eat. Triglycerides also come from extra calories. These are the calories that you eat, but your body does not need right away. Your body changes these extra calories into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells. When your body needs energy, it releases the triglycerides. Your VLDL cholesterol particles carry the triglycerides to your tissues.
Having a high level of triglycerides can raise your risk of heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease.
What causes high triglycerides?
Factors that can raise your triglyceride level include:
- Regularly eating more calories than you burn off, especially if you eat a lot of sugar
- Being overweight or having obesity
- Cigarette smoking
- Excessive alcohol use
- Certain medicines
- Some genetic disorders
- Thyroid diseases
- Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
- Liver or kidney diseases
How are high triglycerides diagnosed?
There is a blood test that measures your triglycerides, along with your cholesterol. Triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The guidelines for triglyceride levels are
Category Triglyceride Level Normal Less than 150mg/dL Borderline high 150 to 199 mg/dL High 200 to 499 mg/dL Very high 500 mg/dL and aboveLevels above 150mg/dl may raise your risk for heart disease. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is also a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.
What are the treatments for high triglycerides?
You may be able to lower your triglyceride levels with lifestyle changes:
- Controlling your weight
- Regular physical activity
- Not smoking
- Limiting sugar and refined foods
- Limiting alcohol
- Switching from saturated fats to healthier fats
Some people will also need to take cholesterol medicines to lower their triglycerides.
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Taming High Triglycerides · Harvard Medical School
- Triglycerides Test · National Library of Medicine
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