What Are Triglycerides and How Do They Influence Our Health?

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are small fatty acids in your blood that help transports fat around your body. These fats give your triglycerides a number — triglycerides -triglyceride ratio. Triglycerides are used by cells in your body – particularly liver cells – to measure energy balance. Cholesterol, chemicals in HDL cholesterol (the good), and LDL cholesterol (the bad) help carry triglycerides. Triglycerides are primarily measured by a study in labs rather than made on an automated system.

We know triglycerides increase our blood pressure because they cause deposits of blood behind our kidneys and on the inside walls of our blood vessels. They can also be found outside the blood vessels, in our fat cells, and many other tissues throughout our bodies.

Triglycerides are one of the dietary fats

Triglycerides are one of the dietary fats that are saved by eliminating trans fat from your diet. Plus, they act as an energy carrier. They carry fat with them so they can be used by your body to generate energy from carbohydrates.

The liver and pancreas are activated. The triglycerides are formed in their chemical groups, and this will make them move as fat. That is precisely how our bodies turn carbohydrates into fat. This is also another reason why some people have a very high triglyceride level in the blood. People with a very high triglyceride level will have deficient blood cholesterol levels or high HDL or good cholesterol. The high triglyceride level is always present in people with a low concentration of blood cholesterol.

Triglycerides build up in the arteries over time and cause plaque to build up within the walls of the arteries causing a narrowing and hardening that can eventually lead to a heart attack or stroke. Lifestyle changes such as consuming excess carbs can accelerate this process. At the same time, symptoms of high triglycerides like sudden blindness or vision changes may also be due in part to these deposits build up within the arteries.

Triglycerides are found in the bloodstream

Blood triglycerides are a type of fat. They are found in your blood or surrounding tissue and forms part of the cell membrane that transports fats and proteins between the fat cells and anywhere in your body where they are needed. Triglycerides are part of what’s known as the ‘blood lipid’ class of substances.

While circulating LDL (bad) cholesterol is the major cardiovascular risk factor, triglycerides also have atherogenic potential. High triglyceride levels can raise the levels of CAD proteins like plaque or advanced glycosylated proteins (AGEs). This can increase the LDL particle diameter and virulence within the arterial wall.

Risk factors that can increase the development of triglyceride toxicity include excess alcohol intake, infection, and inflammation.

In contrast, low triglyceride levels promote anti-atherogenic properties. This is because the synthesis of triglycerides requires arachidonic acid and linoleic acid. Two essential fatty acids in the cell membrane. Arachidonic acid and linoleic acid are neither lipids that are readily derived from the diet nor are they synthesized within adipocytes. 

So triglyceride-lowering can be complicated in patients with a genetic predisposition for increased metabolism of these fatty acids, such as the SCN9A2 gene. This gene encodes a receptor for the polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleate (essential for the synthesis of SCN9A2). Individuals with nutritionally restricted diets, polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation, or both are at increased risk for experiencing acute adverse effects, including elevated triglyceride levels and increased oxidative stress.

Studies suggest that there can be a negative correlation between triglyceride elevation and AGEs.

What happens when you eat triglycerides? 

Triglycerides are found in foods, including meats, cheeses, and many vegetables. They are extremely stable in the blood. They get absorbed into the body and are used primarily as energy or stored as fat. When you eat something that contains triglycerides, your liver releases enzymes into your bloodstream. These enzymes break down the triglyceride into the atom chemical “triacontrio” (or TrIMP), excreted through your urine. 

We all know that triglycerides found in your blood are an indicator of your body’s ability to use fat for energy. Excess fat tissue leads to a condition known as lipoatrophy, which is just a fancy term for obesity. When your body isn’t getting the energy it needs, chemical changes occur in your cells. This leads to many different health problems, from heart disease to diabetes. It is estimated that about 10 percent of deaths among people under 60 are attributed to heart disease. It is estimated that about 10 percent of deaths among people under 60 are attributed to cancer. These statistics are not likely to change significantly in the coming years, and we need to do whatever we can to avoid triglyceride consumption.

Cholesterol and the Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is becoming increasingly recognized as a significant public health problem as the prevalence of overweight and obesity continues to rise worldwide. Researchers are still trying to understand how lifestyle choices such as this contribute to developing metabolic syndrome. Still, they know that we need to be careful about eating and exercising to treat this condition. One factor that may play a role in the development of metabolic syndrome is changes in cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is one of the essential hormones in your body and involves many vital functions. Numerous studies have indicated that increasing cholesterol levels through dietary changes is one possible way in which obesity occurs. It is possible through lifestyle changes that lowering triglyceride levels could also help manage the metabolic syndrome.

Health benefits of triglycerides

Triglycerides play a vital role in the metabolism of fats in the body. They assist in grease, oil, and cholesterol transport and storage in fat cells. The proper balance of triglycerides helps prevent plaque from building up within arteries. Therefore, they are typically considered cardiovascular disease medications. Among the best triglyceride medications are those that lower cholesterol by binding to and modifying cholesterol.

Triglycerides help with blood flow, necessary for the heart to move as well as it should. Generally, they are made of fat, protein, carbohydrates, and more triglycerides. Having any of these types of triglycerides can be good for you.

Triglycerides help supply energy to cells throughout the body, leading to weight loss, improved blood circulation, and increased energy and stamina. They are generated primarily by adipose tissue and stored within it.

They provide fuel to the cells. When your body converts triglycerides, they give you energy in the form of triglycerides. If you want another way of telling if you’re burning fat, measure your triglyceride levels. The triglyceride level is also an indicator of how far you have achieved your weight loss goals. If you’re burning fat at a higher rate than average, your body may be responding well to fat loss strategies and changing hormone levels.

How do triglycerides influence our health?

The fact that eating various other foods is a high-fat food such as a hamburger may raise triglyceride counts but does not directly or directly connect to health issues. However, other triglycerides can cause health issues: Free Fatty Acid Triglycerides, Phytosterol Triglycerides, Cholesterol Triglycerides, and Sphingolipids.

How do triglycerides compare to cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all of the body’s cells. It is needed to make cell membranes and to produce certain hormones. You were told you needed cholesterol to live for years, but now it’s being blamed for everything from dementia to constipation. 

While the scale can tell you how many calories you burn by simply subtracting your weight from your height, how much cholesterol is needed for that metabolic process is anything but clear. People in high-risk categories (diabetics, chronic liver disease patients, and patients with plaque psoriasis) need more stat check with an International Normalized Ratio (INR) test.

“Generally, the higher the ratio, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Dr. Henry Bratten, head physician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center. Many people also fail the low-cholesterol plan because they aren’t eating the foods the experts recommend. This is why the Cholesterol DASH diet is meant to help keep you in control.

Cut back on certain high-cholesterol foods

You’ll need to cut back on certain high-cholesterol foods while increasing your intake of nutrient-dense foods that stabilize the ratio, such as eggs, vegetables, and seafood. The strategy is backed by research studies and the latest guidelines from the American Heart Association, which recommends lowering your cholesterol by focusing on foods like olive oil, fish, chia seeds, beans, and whole grains.

More research is needed on that last point. In the meantime, Bratten says many of the B cholesterol-lowering foods listed on the DASH diet are high in saturated fat, which isn’t great for the heart.

The DASH diet focuses on low-fat dairy products, like yogurt and cheese, as well as seafood. But a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found monounsaturated fats, which make up the bulk of the fat in most animal foods, actually raised the LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

Are high levels of triglycerides unhealthy?

To understand what high levels of triglycerides mean, we need to know what triglycerides are. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body. They are found in the blood and fat stores in the body. Some of the triglycerides circulating in the blood are produced by the liver. 

 Some people can see their triglycerides raised when they eat certain foods. People with type 2 diabetes also sometimes have high triglyceride levels. 

This is because their liver lacks the enzyme that transforms triglycerides into usable energy, and this process of taking the triglycerides out of circulation is not very efficient. Whenever triglycerides are taken out of circulation, this raises the total body weight. The percentage of triglycerides stored in triglyceride-rich (VLDL) and triglyceride-empty (TRF) fatty acids are an excellent way to measure whether people are overweight. Still, not everyone will have these numbers on the same day.

Liver function

Using the example of liver function tests on triglycerides, 40% of triglyceride synthesis requires liver enzymes. If the amount of liver enzyme you have is average, then that means there is not much of a need (or opportunity) for the liver to take any triglycerides out of circulation. The process of taking triglycerides out of circulation has to occur somewhere.

If there are high levels of triglycerides in circulation, those must be in the blood. However, if there are high triglycerides in fat reserves, the triglycerides will have to be released. If you take a look at the liver, you can see that the liver can use triglycerides released from the fat. This means that releasing triglycerides from storage in fat means more triglycerides circulating than in fat. It’s the blood’s fault for being unable to send them where they are needed.

If triglycerides aren’t put back into circulation, they will start to build up in the liver. This is what is considered a “sugar overload.” You start to have symptoms when this happens, like a fast heartbeat and energy that is low.

How do you lower your triglyceride levels?

Lowering triglyceride levels is about eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly. Exercise can help lower triglycerides by increasing the amount of HDL in your blood. HDL is a good form of cholesterol that reduces your risk of heart disease. On the other hand, eating foods that are high in fat can raise triglyceride levels. 

Alternatively, exercise programs call for highly structured sessions that focus on a goal. The best way to do this is to form a regular exercise program. It also helps if your gym allows you to lift weights. Even with these simple changes, you can lower your triglycerides. This is because triglycerides are broken down by digestion into small fatty acids. Through a study performed by the National University of Singapore, walking twice a week lowered triglyceride levels in just one month.

Furthermore, by following other healthful lifestyle choices like eating less meat, drinking less alcohol, and getting sufficient sleep, reducing triglyceride levels is achievable for most people. For more detail about how to improve triglyceride levels, visit the many articles about triglycerides on my Health Advice Hub.

Triglyceride cardiovascular risk

For someone who exercises daily, levels of triglyceride go down quickly. So, it is recommended that you eat a diet high in vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains for 6 to 12 months before taking any other medication.

When it comes to medication, a simple formula should be followed. As this medication usually causes side effects such as diarrhea, appetite changes, fatigue, headache, drowsiness, and nervousness, lowering triglycerides might also cause side effects.

ST elevations in triglycerides are a type of cardiovascular risk. About 40% of American adults have elevated triglyceride levels, the highest in Asian and Hispanic people.

Excess triglycerides are a significant risk factor for heart disease and death, and many other chronic illnesses. Therefore, it is essential to monitor your triglyceride levels as well as your heart health regularly.

My triglyceride level was within the healthy range for most of my adult life.

What foods are high in cholesterol and fats that you must avoid?

Eggs, butter, cream, and fatty cuts of meat have high cholesterol levels. If you want to keep your cholesterol level in check, it is best to limit your intake of these foods.

 Eggs contribute significantly to the total cholesterol in the blood. Also, eggs contain saturated fats, which are known for their effect on rising bad cholesterol levels. Not only are egg yolks high in calories in a relative excess of other meats, but they also contain high choline levels, a substance that has been linked to an increased risk of heart diseases. Lack of choline makes it more difficult for the body to remove cholesterol from the bloodstream. Additionally, butter is nutrient-dense and high in fat and cholesterol. High-fat, high-cholesterol foods are a prime cause of heart disease.

While it is true that butter will raise your cholesterol level, there are other options besides the industrially produced chemical. Here are the foods that have a low cholesterol intake that will still be healthy for you:

Natural products and food

If your dairy or eggs, you may consume small amounts of saturated fats in their natural products and food. Eggs and dairy are also sources of unsaturated fats that are not harmful to your heart. Here are the 5 foods that are low in Saturated Fat:

Still, moderation is critical if you want to go long-term without it. Of course, it depends on the individual.

The role of a low-fat diet in the prevention of heart disease is mainly due to its effects on blood cholesterol levels and preventing (or correcting) a diet that has a high intake of Saturated Fat.

So how do these foods make you feel? The data on human responses to different saturated fats is scant, as there is a lack of long-term trials. To answer this question, you need to conduct long-term studies to see the effects of a low-fat diet on the cardiovascular system.

How does your body metabolize fat?

Studies show that fitness trackers may help you lose weight by detecting your body’s metabolic state. Metabolic states are the general way your body metabolizes food, liquid, or substances. Elevated triglycerides are one such metabolic state that a fitness wristband can detect. When you have elevated triglycerides, these particles become lodged in your blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart disease.

High blood triglycerides, or LDL, are lipids that can aggregate and clog arteries. Too much of anything makes one’s heart sick; excess salt, sugar, and fat build up in the blood and damage organs and the kidneys, such as less usable energy in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) available to the muscles. So the body has a logical response to high blood triglycerides: Burn more fat to make more ATP (and HDL).

The metabolic process of fat burning is very complicated, and many factors need to be considered.  To simplify things, let’s think about it as the delivery system for energy. The ATP that a cell need comprises three components: glucose (sugar), phosphocreatine ( pools of ATP that are ready to use ), and acetyl CoA. These molecules can get into the cell by either being taken in by a molecule called leucine or PHP becoming debt-free from another molecule called ribose.

The fats enter cells throughout the body and are released as free fatty acids and ketones. Free fatty acids are fats and ketones that have not been metabolized and are used as an energy source by the cells throughout the body.

Triglycerides and Diet in Health and Disease

As I call them, triglycerides, or triglycerides, were named after the Greek word ‘trag,’ meaning a heap, tragos meaning fat. Triglycerides are a class of fats that occur at a relatively high level in lipids that we do not consume directly and instead indirectly are formed from dietary sources. Lipids are essential components of biological membranes. The lipid monolayer of cellular membranes separates the inside from the outside, and the two membranes are essential to life as we know it. Dietary triglycerides occur naturally in all animal fats and are formed from several sources, including dairy products, meat, eggs, cheese, and other vegetable fats. Triglyceride levels are higher in fatty animal fats than in dairy fat. 

The two main structural differences between dairy and other animal and vegetable lipid sources are the chain length of fatty acids in dairy fats (10 carbon or 12 carbon chains: from capric acid to lauric acid) and the degree of unsaturation (oleic acid to palmitic acid). The average chain length is 18 carbon atoms, and the triglycerides in milkfat, butterfat and coconut oil have between about 22 and 24 carbon atoms. Animal and vegetable lipid sources differ in the degree of unsaturation. The overall percentage of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids in each glycerol molecule (triglycerides) is also different due to omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids in plant fats.

As you might have guessed, the body’s metabolism requires a certain amount of dietary fat. When we consume fats from animal sources, such as dairy, butter, and egg yolks, our body needs the fatty acids from these food sources and the saturated fatty acids from the milk and cheese in our diet.