More on Triglycerides

There are other contributing factors that can raise triglyceride levels. Some of these are things like obesity, excessive alcohol intake, diabetes, diet high in saturated fats, chronic liver disease, low thyroid hormone, and chronic kidney disease. In addition to these factors, certain medications can also raise triglyceride levels. Some of these include prednisone, estrogen, certain diuretics (thiazides specifically), tamoxifen (used in breast cancer patients), accutane, and some of the beta blockers.

To avoid the medication regime that you may get put on, you can do somethings to keep triglyceride levels down. First and foremost is to eat a well balanced healthy diet with emphasis on fruits and vegetables, along with more unsaturated fats. Decrease your alcohol intake and get at least 30 minutes of exercise 4-5 days per week.

Some Notes on Triglycerides

Someone asked me the other day about triglycerides. First, you should understand that triglycerides are the form that fat takes in the body. If you eat a high fat meal, you can expect that your triglycerides will elevate. Good example of this, my husband had some fasting lab work drawn. Right before he began fasting for his blood work, he ate a jar of peanuts. When his lab work came back his triglycerides were much higher than they had ever been. I asked him if he had eaten anything after dinner and he admitted to the jar of peanuts. Then I knew the cause for the elevation. He also got to see first hand what happens when you eat high fat. He has eaten a jar of peanuts since then.

Triglycerides that are not used immediately for energy, are stored in the fat depots in the body. Some individuals have a genetic predisposition that makes them have high triglyceride levels all of the time. Medications do not lower the triglycerides in those individuals.