Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood.Having elevated triglycerides is a risk factor for heart disease. When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn’t need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, especially calories like carbohydrates & fats, you may have high triglycerides. Alcohol will raise your triglycerides as well as high sugar drinks like soda, juice drinks, sweet tea and Kool-Aid.
A simple blood test can reveal whether your triglycerides fall into a healthy range.
- Less than 150 mg/dl is normal
- 150-199 mg/dl is borderline high
- 200-499mg/dl is high
- 500mg/dl or higher is very high
Ryan Miller
Mine are not good (Really not good!). I do have medicine prescribed for it, but I have researched and found that it greatly increases the risk of diabetes in men.
Are there natural ways, including herbal, that is scientifically validated to help?
Amy Ritchie
Hi Ryan! I am unaware of any herbal supplement that will lower triglycerides, however that is not to say that there isn’t any. What I have found to work for my patients and myself is losing 10-15 pounds, decreasing carbohydrate intake while increasing high fiber foods such as non-starchy vegetables, eliminating sugary drinks, decreasing alcohol consumption for those that drink,and being more physically active. Some people can do all the above and never get their triglycerides in the normal range. Having your triglycerides as close to normal as possible is better than having really high triglycerides. Like most things, genetics plays a part, but don’t use that as an excuse. Some of us have to work harder than others to get or keep our numbers in the normal range. By consistently trying all of the healthy changes mentioned you will do more than just lower your triglycerides. You possibly will delay or even prevent developing Type 2 Diabetes!