What Is The Main Cause Of High Triglycerides?
The most common causes of high triglycerides relate to diet and metabolism. Also, excess body weight and a high-fat, high-carb diet, several health conditions may contribute.
If you’ve been diagnosed with high triglycerides, you may be looking for ways to make your diet and exercise routines healthier, but some other culprits should also be on your radar.
What Are High Triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a kind of fat that is found in the blood. Cholesterol is another kind. Stored in fat cells for later use, triglycerides are a major energy source. Normal amounts are important for good health. Eating more fat than the body burns can lead to high triglyceride levels.
High triglyceride levels may result in the hardening of the arteries, which increases the risks of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. They can be part of metabolic syndrome, which also includes too much fat around the waist, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
Sometimes high triglyceride levels mean poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, liver or kidney disease, low thyroid hormone levels, or rare genetic conditions.
What Are the Causes and Symptoms of High Triglycerides?
Causes of High Triglycerides may include:
- Obesity
- Eating too much unhealthy food
- Genetics
Certain illnesses include:
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
Some drugs such as:
- Steroids
- Birth control pills
Drinking a lot of alcohol can also increase the levels of triglycerides.
Most people with High Triglycerides have no symptoms. Very high levels of Triglycerides can cause small fat deposits under the skin and painful inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
Managing High Triglycerides
Dos
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat fish.
- Stop smoking.
- Eat more fruits and vegetables and high-fiber foods.
- Lose weight by changing your diet and doing aerobic exercise, such as jogging, walking, bicycling, or swimming. Exercise at least 30 minutes daily.
Don’ts
- Don’t drink more than two alcoholic drinks each day.
- Don’t forget to treat other medical conditions such as diabetes and an underactive thyroid.
- Don’t change your diet or medicines without your doctor’s approval.
How Are High Triglycerides Treated?
High triglycerides, like high cholesterol, are a potentially serious health problem. But, with lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medications, most people will be able to successfully manage their condition and reduce their cardiovascular disease risk.
If diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes are not enough to lower your triglycerides or your doctor feels your numbers are too high to address the problem with lifestyle interventions alone, they may recommend medication.
- Gemfibrozil – this medication is in a class of lipid-regulating medications called fibrates. The drug works by reducing the production of triglycerides in the liver. As a result, it lowers your levels of triglycerides.