What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. When you eat, your body's cells use triglycerides for energy. Your body also converts unused energy from food into triglycerides and stores them in your fat cells.

If you usually eat more kilojoules than you use, you may have high triglyceride levels.

Your triglyceride levels are usually measured as part of a cholesterol blood test.

Read about other types of dietary fats in your body.

How are triglycerides connected to cholesterol?

Cholesterol is another type of fat. It has many uses in your body, including producing hormones, vitamin D, building cells and helping you digest food.

The 2 most common types of cholesterol are:

• HDL cholesterol is known as 'good' cholesterol. This is because HDL helps remove cholesterol from your arteries by carrying cholesterol back to your liver for disposal.
• LDL cholesterol is known as 'bad' cholesterol. This is because LDL leaves cholesterol in your arteries.

If you have a high level of triglycerides together with a high LDL level or a low HDL level, you have a higher risk of fat building up and blocking your blood vessels. This increases your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

Why do I have high triglycerides?

You are more likely to have high levels of triglycerides if you:

• have a high fat or high sugar diet
• are living with obesity
• have kidney failure
• have poorly-managed diabetes
• have low levels of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism)
• drink an excessive amount of alcohol
• take certain medicines, such as corticosteroids, HIV medicines, beta blockers, some hormone medicines

What can happen to me if I have high triglycerides?

If you have high levels of triglycerides, you may be at a higher risk of suffering from:

• heart disease
• stroke
• heart attack
• acute pancreatitis

High triglycerides can also be a sign of metabolic syndrome. This is a collection of health conditions that increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

How do I measure by triglyceride levels?

Your doctor can measure your triglyceride levels with a blood test.

You will be instructed to fast for 9 – 12 hours before your blood test, which is usually done in the morning. This is because after you eat, the amount of triglycerides in your blood is higher. You are allowed to drink water.

Australian guidelines recommend that your triglyceride levels should be below 2.0mml/L.

Talk to your doctor about your results and what to do if your levels are high.

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When should I get my triglyceride levels checked?

If you are aged 45 years or older, you should have your cholesterol and triglycerides checked every 5 years.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people should start regular triglyceride checks from age 35.

All Australians in these age groups are eligible for a regular 20-minute heart health check with their doctor. This includes checks of your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Your doctor can use your results to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years.

If you are living with diabetes, it is especially important to check your triglyceride levels, as you are more likely to have high triglyceride levels.

How can I lower my triglycerides?

You can lower your triglycerides by:

• treating the cause of high triglyceride levels
• making changes to your lifestyle

Here are some lifestyle changes you can adopt to lower your triglyceride levels:

• Maintain a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and healthy proteins.
• Eating oily fish that are high in omega-3 fats, such as herring, mackerel, sardines, salmon and tuna.
• Cut back on sweet drinks and foods made from sugar and white flour.
• If you have diabetes, make sure your blood sugar levels are well-controlled.
• Cut back on alcohol.
• Stay physically active.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

Ask your doctor about a referral to a dietitian, who can give you advice about which foods are right for you.

If you are unable to reduce your triglyceride levels with lifestyle changes alone, or your triglyceride levels are very high, your doctor may prescribe medicines such as statins or fibrates. They may also recommend that you take a fish oil supplement.

Resources and support

• The Heart Foundation has a 'How to eat well for a healthy heart' guide to help you make healthy choices.
• Use the Dietitians Australia search tool to find an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) to support your nutrition health needs.
• Learn more about testing your triglycerides levels at Pathology Tests Explained.
• If you have diabetes, visit Diabetes Australia to read more about the connection between 'diabetes and heart health'.