Background
In the early 1800s French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul showed that animal fats are built from glycerol and fatty acids—the structure behind the name "tri-glyceride." Lipoprotein electrophoresis later let Donald Fredrickson (1967) sort lipid disorders into types, revealing that very high triglycerides can trigger acute pancreatitis. For decades LDL cholesterol got most of the attention, but genetic studies and trials like REDUCE-IT (2019) have convinced many cardiologists that triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are an independent driver of atherosclerosis too.
Levels and causes
A fasting level under 150 mg/dL is normal, 200–499 is high, and 500 or more needs prompt treatment because of pancreatitis risk. Your liver turns surplus carbs, sugar, and alcohol into triglycerides, so soda, heavy drinking, and overeating are the usual culprits. Belly fat, insulin resistance and diabetes, hypothyroidism, and some medications also raise them—and together they often add up to metabolic syndrome and fatty liver disease.
Bringing them down
Triglycerides respond to lifestyle faster than any other lipid number. Cutting back on alcohol, sugar, juice, and refined grains and losing 5–10% of body weight often drops them 20–50%. Fatty fish rich in omega-3s helps, and 150+ minutes a week of aerobic exercise burns them directly. If levels stay high, doctors may add a statin, fenofibrate, or prescription-strength omega-3 (icosapent ethyl).
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
FAQ
- Do I need to fast before the test?
- Often yes—triglycerides jump after meals, so many labs ask for a 9–12 hour fast, though non-fasting screens are increasingly accepted.
- Can thin people have high triglycerides?
- Yes. Alcohol, a high-sugar diet, and genetics can raise them regardless of weight.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- Virani, S. S., et al. (2021). 2021 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on the management of ASCVD risk reduction in patients with persistent hypertriglyceridemia. JACC, 78(9), 960–993.
- Bhatt, D. L., et al. (2019). Cardiovascular risk reduction with icosapent ethyl for hypertriglyceridemia (REDUCE-IT). NEJM, 380(1), 11–22.
- 한국지질·동맥경화학회. (2022). 이상지질혈증 진료지침 제5판.