What Are The Causes Of High Triglycerides In Blood?
Rarely, elevated levels of triglycerides occur on their own. There is almost always another condition associated with the high levels. High triglycerides form part of a group of medical conditions regarded as metabolic syndrome. These conditions increase the risk of suffering from other conditions like stroke, heart attack, and diabetes.
Elevated levels of triglycerides may be caused by conditions like poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid gland, and kidney disease. When you regularly eat more calories than the body can burn, this may also result to increased levels of these fat compounds in body.
Drinking a lot of alcohol is also associated with elevated triglyceride levels. Taking certain medications such as steroids, diuretics, beta-blockers, tamoxifen, estrogen, and birth control pills can also increase the levels. In atypical cases, high triglycerides may run in families.
How can you lower high triglycerides?
High levels of triglycerides can be lowered by change in lifestyle including reducing weight if you are overweight or obese. People diagnosed with high levels of this organic lipid substance in blood should also limit their fats and sugar intake in their diet. Being active also helps reduce the high levels of triglyceride. Those who smoke are advised to quit smoking and for alcoholics, they should limit their alcohol consumption.
If you do not respond well to lifestyle changes, you may need to use medications to lower high serum triglycerides. If your cholesterol levels are high and you have other risk factors that could lead to heart disease, you may be recommended to use medications such as statins, fibrates, and nicotinic acid. These medications should be used under close supervision of a doctor.
Statins are drugs that help in lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol. These medications also lower triglycerides. Fibric acid derivatives or fibrates also help in lowering triglycerides but they should be administered with caution since when used alongside statins, they may cause complications. A patient may develop life-threatening muscle condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which may also lead to kidney failure.
Omega 3 fatty acids may also be recommended to lower the levels. The omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained from oily fish such as salmon and tuna. You may also use a highly concentrated omega 3 fatty acids medicine like Lovaza, but then again this medication may raise low-density lipoprotein levels in blood and therefore, a doctor may have to monitor your cholesterol levels.
In summary, triglycerides are essential organic fat compounds that help in different functions in body such as formation of lipid bilayer that creates cell membrane structure. They are also a secondary source of energy in body. However, higher than normal ranges of these forms of lipids can cause health complications in the body.
You can lower elevated levels of triglycerides by changing your lifestyles and in more serious cases, various medications like statins may be recommended. By returning high triglycerides to the normal levels, you minimize the risks of suffering from conditions like stroke, heart attack, and peripheral artery disease.
Elevated levels of triglycerides may be caused by conditions like poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid gland, and kidney disease. When you regularly eat more calories than the body can burn, this may also result to increased levels of these fat compounds in body.
Drinking a lot of alcohol is also associated with elevated triglyceride levels. Taking certain medications such as steroids, diuretics, beta-blockers, tamoxifen, estrogen, and birth control pills can also increase the levels. In atypical cases, high triglycerides may run in families.
How can you lower high triglycerides?
High levels of triglycerides can be lowered by change in lifestyle including reducing weight if you are overweight or obese. People diagnosed with high levels of this organic lipid substance in blood should also limit their fats and sugar intake in their diet. Being active also helps reduce the high levels of triglyceride. Those who smoke are advised to quit smoking and for alcoholics, they should limit their alcohol consumption.
If you do not respond well to lifestyle changes, you may need to use medications to lower high serum triglycerides. If your cholesterol levels are high and you have other risk factors that could lead to heart disease, you may be recommended to use medications such as statins, fibrates, and nicotinic acid. These medications should be used under close supervision of a doctor.
Statins are drugs that help in lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol. These medications also lower triglycerides. Fibric acid derivatives or fibrates also help in lowering triglycerides but they should be administered with caution since when used alongside statins, they may cause complications. A patient may develop life-threatening muscle condition known as rhabdomyolysis, which may also lead to kidney failure.
Omega 3 fatty acids may also be recommended to lower the levels. The omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained from oily fish such as salmon and tuna. You may also use a highly concentrated omega 3 fatty acids medicine like Lovaza, but then again this medication may raise low-density lipoprotein levels in blood and therefore, a doctor may have to monitor your cholesterol levels.
In summary, triglycerides are essential organic fat compounds that help in different functions in body such as formation of lipid bilayer that creates cell membrane structure. They are also a secondary source of energy in body. However, higher than normal ranges of these forms of lipids can cause health complications in the body.
You can lower elevated levels of triglycerides by changing your lifestyles and in more serious cases, various medications like statins may be recommended. By returning high triglycerides to the normal levels, you minimize the risks of suffering from conditions like stroke, heart attack, and peripheral artery disease.
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