There appears to be a strong link between high triglycerides and heart disease, especially in the presence of other risk factors, such as high cholesterol levels and high blood sugar levels.
But, what are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are a type of lipid or fat that is found in the blood. They are synthesized primarily in the liver and within the adipocytes, which are the fat cells of the body. Triglycerides get produced with the use of substances derived from food, if the total amount of calories ingested exceeds the calories that are burned by the body. This happens no matter what type of food a person eats. Excess calories will be processed into triglycerides regardless if they come from fats, carbohydrates or proteins.
Along with cholesterol, triglycerides are necessary for the healthy functioning of the human body. However, having high triglyceride levels (above 150mg/dl) can lead to atherosclerosis, increased risk for heart attack, stroke and other diseases of the heart or the arteries. What is more, high triglyceride levels are often accompanied by low HDL and an increased likelihood of developing diabetes, which further increases the risk of heart disease.
The link between high triglycerides and heart disease
The role of high triglycerides on the development of heart disease used to be ignored or neglected. Due to the fact that high triglyceride levels usually co-exist with high LDL cholesterol, the damage to the heart was always attributed to cholesterol and triglycerides were not considered an independent risk factor.
However, a study conducted by the University Of Southern California in 1994, showed that there was a strong link between high triglycerides and heart disease, which is responsible for 200,000 deaths per year. According to the study, patients that had high triglyceride levels continued to experience damage to the arterial walls, even though they had followed an aggressive treatment against bad cholesterol. Additionally, a Harvard-lead study concludes that high levels of triglycerides can cause a three-fold increase in the risk of heart attack. Even more surprisingly, it seems that people with the highest ratio of triglycerides levels to the “good” cholesterol are 16 times more likely to suffer from a heart attack. In fact, the ratio of triglyceride levels to HDL cholesterol levels is the strongest predictor of having a heart attack. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not fully understood, but it seems that high triglycerides trigger a series of ill effects on the body that lead to coronary heart disease.
How to treat high triglyceride levels
To reduce the levels of triglycerides in the blood, it¢s very important to consume healthy fats, such as olive oil and fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids, like mackerel and salmon. You should also avoid saturated fat, sugar and alcohol. It seems that in some people, alcohol intake dramatically increases triglycerides in the blood. To find out if you are one of them, try not to drink any alcohol for 3 weeks and then measure your triglyceride levels. If there is a significant drop, then it would be a good idea to abstain from alcohol.
Of course, by far the most powerful way to combat this condition is to lose weight. If you are currently overweight or obese based on the body mass index (BMI), then losing just 5% to 10% of your excess weight may be enough to significantly reduce the amount of triglycerides in your blood.
