What does it mean if your triglycerides are high?
High triglycerides may contribute to hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls (arteriosclerosis) — which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease. Extremely high triglycerides can also cause acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
What is in a triglyceride?
Triglycerides are lipid compounds composed of a glycerol esterified to 3 fatty acid chains of varying length and composition. These fatty acid chains can be saturated or unsaturated, and the chemical composition of each chain is different.
What does triglycerides in blood test mean?
The triglyceride level test helps measure the amount of triglycerides in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat, or lipid, found in the blood. The results of this test help your doctor determine your risk of developing heart disease. Another name for this test is a triacylglycerol test.
What are examples of triglycerides?
Triglycerides are fats from the food we eat that are carried in the blood. Most of the fats we eat, including butter, margarines, and oils, are in triglyceride form. Excess calories, alcohol or sugar in the body turn into triglycerides and are stored in fat cells throughout the body.
Where are triglycerides made?
The source of triglycerides Food is one source of triglycerides. Your liver also makes them. When you eat extra calories — especially carbohydrates — your liver increases the production of triglycerides. When you consume — or your body creates — excess triglycerides, they’re stored in fat cells for later use.
Do bananas help lower triglycerides?
The researchers also say that people with high triglycerides should focus on eating more vegetables; fruits that are lower in fructose such as cantaloupe, grapefruit, strawberries, bananas, peaches; high-fiber whole grains; and especially omega-3 fatty acids, which are found primarily in fatty fish such as salmon.
Which is worse cholesterol or high triglycerides?
In fact, high triglycerides are as dangerous as bad cholesterol when it comes to your risk for heart disease. According to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high triglycerides could be a problem for one-third of all Americans.