Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood. 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. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, particularly simple carbohydrates (e.g.: sugars, potato chips, soda) and fats, you may have high triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia).
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that a triglyceride level of 100 mg/dL (1.1 mmol/L) or lower is considered "optimal." The AHA says this optimal level would improve your heart health. However, the AHA doesn't recommend drug treatment to reach this level. Instead, for those trying to lower their triglycerides to this level, lifestyle changes such as diet, weight loss and physical activity are encouraged. That's because triglycerides usually respond well to dietary and lifestyle changes.
Triglycerides and cholesterol are separate types of lipids that circulate in your blood. Triglycerides store unused calories and provide your body with energy. Cholesterol is used to build cells and certain hormones. Because triglycerides and cholesterol can't dissolve in blood, they circulate throughout your body with the help of proteins that transport the lipids (lipoproteins).
| Test | Normal Child | Normal Adult | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triglyceride levels Hydroichoride |
less than or equal to 150 mg/dL | 150-199mg/dl |
*This information is intended for use by my patients as part of my lab test information and patient communication program. For other readers of this article, I inform that this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. I hereby disclaim any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.