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Body measures and lab tests

Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the blood; the body stores extra calories as triglycerides, and high levels raise heart disease risk.

Clinician review pending Updated Body measures and lab tests
DefinitionTriglycerides are the most common type of fat in the blood; the body stores extra calories as triglycerides, and high levels raise heart disease risk.

What it means

After you eat, your body turns calories it does not need right away into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells. A standard cholesterol test, or lipid panel, measures them, usually after fasting.

MedlinePlus lists these adult categories:

  • Normal: less than 150 mg/dL
  • Borderline high: 150 to 199
  • High: 200 to 499
  • Very high: 500 and above

High triglycerides are linked to heart disease. Very high levels can also raise the risk of pancreatitis. Common causes include eating more calories than you burn, overweight, heavy alcohol use, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney or liver disease, some medicines and genetics.

Triglycerides often respond quickly to weight loss and cutting back on alcohol, sugary drinks and refined carbohydrates.

Why it matters

Triglycerides often drop with GLP-1 weight loss, and very high levels add to pancreatitis risk.

Related terms

HDL cholesterolLDL cholesterolMetabolic syndromePancreatitisDrinking alcohol on a GLP-1

Sources

  1. MedlinePlus: Triglycerides

Clinician review pending. Drafted from primary sources and waiting for sign-off by a licensed clinician (MD, DO or PharmD) before launch. Every number is checked against its source. Drug facts are re-checked quarterly, prices monthly and whenever a label changes. How we review · Report an error