Where Do Triglycerides Come From?

Triglycerides are in foods that contain fat. Your liver also makes triglycerides from other energy sources such as carbohydrates.

Testing Triglycerides

The test to measure triglyceride levels is a blood test that measures the amount of triglycerides in your blood. A normal level is less than 150 mg/dL (milligrams/deciliter); anything over 200 mg/dL is considered high.

Considerations

Do not eat for eight to 12 hours before the triglyceride test, so that the results are not affected by food. Other factors that can affect results are alcohol and certain drugs. Tell your doctor what medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.

Risks of High Triglycerides

A high triglyceride level can lead to atherosclerosis, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. A high triglyceride level may also cause inflammation of the pancreas.

Prevention and Treatment

Recommendations to prevent and treat high triglyceride levels include maintaining an ideal body weight, reducing the saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol in your diet, reducing alcohol use, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and exercising regularly.

Source

Triglycerides

Triglyceride Level

American Heart Association---Triglycerides