The Numbers Are In
Good cholesterol, bad cholesterol, saturated fat, and unsaturated fat—sometimes it seems like you need a statistician to keep track of all the numbers you must know when it comes to fat and its contribution to heart disease.
Although all of these numbers count, in an online article by Richard N. Fogoros, M.D., “recent studies reveal that people with elevated levels of triglycerides are indeed at increased risk of heart disease.”
Triglycerides are the most common form of fat in the body. In fact, almost all the excess calories you consume, whether from fats or carbohydrates, are converted to triglycerides and stored in your fatty tissues.
These dietary lipids are absorbed through your stomach and then are delivered through the bloodstream to your liver, where they are processed. Simply put, triglycerides are the end product of digesting and breaking down fats in meals. It is this leftover fat in the blood that provides energy to the body.
Fats that don’t get used will likely settle in the hips and belly which has been linked to a greater chance for heart disease. These extras can also multiply the bad effects of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Because triglycerides are the main form of fat in the body, healthy levels are essential to human life and are measured using a common test called a lipid panel similar to a cholesterol test. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone over the age of 20 get a lipid panel to measure cholesterol and triglycerides at least every five years.
Triglyceride levels are checked after an overnight fast to get the most accurate results. A normal test should reveal less than 150 mg/dL. Borderline results show a triglyceride level of 150-199 mg/dL while high levels are between 200-499 mg/dL. Anything above 500 mg/dL is in the very high category.
If you have elevated lipid levels, experts agree a healthy diet and exercise plan is effective in fighting heart disease. In addition, any nutritional changes, such as a diet low in saturated fat that will reduce your LDL, or bad cholesterol levels will also be helpful in prevention of cardiovascular risk factors since they are treated similarly.
Recent medical findings have more closely linked increased triglyceride levels to heart disease. Make sure you check your numbers at your next doctor visit, especially if it has been several years since the last lipid test.
Study the results and respond accordingly. If you have any questions ask your physician. Be proactive, know your numbers and protect your heart!
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