How do you get low triglycerides?
Hi, I am a primary care physician, and I talk about cholesterol, specifically how to have low triglycerides, to my patients every single day. Sure, there are several categories that go into a cholesterol panel including total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL aka good cholesterol, LDL aka bad cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol, all of which are important. I’ve dedicated my blog to low triglycerides because this is one of the more common elevated levels I find in both healthy patients and those with chronic disease. And it seems to be one of the hardest categories of cholesterol to lower. My goal is to help individuals get low triglycerides, and how to lower cholesterol naturally.
What are triglycerides anyway, and why is it even important to have low triglycerides?
Triglycerides provide energy for the body, period. In fact, they contain twice as much energy as carbohydrates and proteins. Triglycerides are transported in the blood to the liver where they are packaged into proteins called lipoproteins. Then they are transported out of the liver and into the bloodstream and then taken to various parts of the body where they are needed.
The dangers to elevated triglycerides, however, are increased risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Hence, low triglycerides are the way to go.
What is a normal triglyceride level?
Less than 150 mg/dL is the normal range and 100 mg/dL is ideal. Those who are in the 200 range are considered high, but have the opportunity to make healthy lifestyle changes to bring the triglycerides into the normal range. Anyone over 500 are at very high risk, and ultimately will require prescription medication to achieve low triglycerides.
Are there any dangers to having low triglycerides?
The American Heart Association did not set a standard for too low triglycerides. However, in general, if you have a low triglycerides level of less than 50 mg/dL, it may be a good idea to look for other medical problems such as thyroid disorder, intestinal disease, or other conditions that may cause malnutrition. Make sure to discuss this with your doctor. But if you are otherwise healthy who exercises regularly and cuts out fat, alcohol, and sugar, Congratulations! Your low triglycerides level is a mere sign of good health.
So why is it even hard for many individuals to have low triglycerides?
Those who have a diet high in carbohydrates will cause their triglycerides to be high. And it is the carbs that are causing people to be overweight or obese, and diet books such as the Atkins diet or South Beach diet are making lots of money as part of the billion dollar weight loss industry. Cut out carbs and lose weight; that is the common theme.
In my upcoming blogs, I would like to spend time talking about the different ways I teach my patients how to have low triglycerides and how to lower cholesterol naturally without having to resort to prescription medications that often come with multiple side effects. This will include discussing different foods to help with low triglycerides. But the most important first step is knowing what your triglycerides are.
So what’s your number?
Dr. T Rivers