FAQ on Triglycerides

Now-a-days people are becoming more and more concerned about their food habit especially regarding cholesterol.

This is indeed a good sign. But there is not much awareness regarding triglycerides (TG). But TG is as much important as cholesterol is. Here are some frequently asked questions about TG which helps us live a healthier life by reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

What is TG?
TG is a type of fat or lipid that is crucial to many metabolic processes in our body same as cholesterol.

How do we get TG?
We get TG in two ways. One way is that our body produces TG by itself and the second way is derived from the fatty food which we consume.

After we eat, our body metabolism converts the food contents into energy for use by the body cells. Extra calories ingested with meal which are not used immediately by tissues are converted into TG and are transported to fat cells to be stored.

Effect of TG
Increased level of blood TG is associated with the build-up of plaques that can narrow or even block blood vessels. As a consequence if the vessels of the heart are blocked, there are less blood and oxygen to the heart.

This can lead to chest pain and heart attacks. A blocked blood vessel in the brain can trigger a stroke.

The plaque layer of artery can also develop rough edges. The flowing blood can cause a part of the thick hard deposit to break off or detach and travel as thrombus. Ultimately it can obstruct blood vessels elsewhere in the body and cause cell death due to ischemia, leading to medical emergencies like heart attacks and strokes.

Symptoms

The dangerous part of increased TG level in the body is - the condition does not produce immediate symptoms. There are no warning signs for high TG levels. Therefore, it can remain undiagnosed for a long time in a person with higher level of TG. All adults should get their TG tested every five years.

Risk factors
Diet: There are two dietary factors associated with increased blood cholesterol levels:

• Eating foods that are high in saturated fats.
• Eating foods containing high levels of carbohydrates.

Weight: People who are overweight are more likely to have high blood TG.

Genetics: Some people are genetically predisposed to having high levels of TG. This tendency towards high blood TG level is often passed on genetically towards the off spring.

Other diseases: Increased TG level and its complications can be aggravated by some chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure etc.

Lifestyle: Factors that affect TG levels also include high levels of stress, cigarette smoking, less physical work out etc.

Lowering TG levels
Diet modification: Taking the followings in consideration can be useful.

• Reduce amount of carbohydrate in the food habit.
• Increase the amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables in daily diet.
• Limit the amount of saturated fats in the diet. Take measures like removing the skin from chicken and eat lean cuts of meat.
• Drink skim or low-fat milk. Use also skim or low-fat milk, cheese, and yogurt in cooking.
• Use liquid or soft margarine or vegetable oils.
• Eat egg whites rather than egg yolks.

Lifestyle modification:

• Lose excess body fat
• Loose weight
• Get lots of exercise everyday. Some examples of good ways to exercise include walking, household work, running, swimming, jumping rope, and bicycling.
• Stop smoking or excessive drinking.
• If someone is suffering from other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, keeping those in control.

The writer is working at Health Science Department of Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan. [E-mail: [email protected]]