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WEB EXTRA High triglyceride levels are known to correlate with elevated risks for all of the cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, Alzheimer’s, etc.), and type 2 diabetes The tips below from Doc Wilson, Ph.D., offer strategies to improve your health with respect to your triglycerides. Q: My doctor informed me that my triglyceride level is high and unhealthy. What is the most effective way to lower it? – Leigh, Wilde Lake
First, consider what dangerous levels are. Old data are consistent with the following formulas. If your HDL (the good) cholesterol level is greater than 40, you are not at a heightened risk of having a heart attack until your fasting blood triglyceride level is above about 350. On the other hand, if your HDL cholesterol level is below 40, your heart attack risk is elevated when your fasting blood triglyceride level is above about 150. Many physicians are most comfortable using a triglyceride level of 150 as the dividing line for healthy versus unhealthy levels; so consult your physician on this. Second, in 2007 (July, J. of the American Medical Association) two studies showed that non-fasting blood triglyceride levels are far more dependable than the fasting levels in predicting the risk of a future heart attack. Many people with normal blood glucose and triglyceride levels after fasting overnight have high blood sugar and triglyceride levels after eating. In other words, a low fasting triglyceride level does not absolutely mean your body is “in the clear” with respect to triglycerides. Third, after vigorous exercise your adrenaline levels go up appreciably, which causes fat cells in your body to release large amounts of triglycerides. Therefore, you should not exercise within 2 hours of a good workout.
In addition, practice great nutrition by eating lots of vegetables, true whole grains (the intact grains; not grains converted to flour!), fruits, beans and lentils, and nuts and seeds. Also, keep your overall intake of fats and mammalian meat to a relatively low level, as this will help reduce your risks for overindulgence in calories and other potential negative effects. Other articles relevant to this topic and by the same author include the following. CA Monthly issues: June 09; March 09; November 08; and October 08. For more information about personal training at CA, click here Always check with your physician before starting any exercise regimen or change in diet. This column is intended to provide only general information that may be of interest to the public and is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for specific medical advice. Any questions regarding your personal health and medical issues should be directed to your physician. About Doc Wilson
Wilson’s areas of specialization include weight loss and weight control, preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes, preventing and reversing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, and exercise and nutrition for optimum overall health. His first book, "Total Health in a Nutshell," is slated for publication in the near future. Have a question for a fitness professional? |
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A: Generally, the most effective way to lower your triglycerides is to lower your calorie intake to a healthy level, eat only healthy foods and get a sufficient quantity of exercise that is sufficiently demanding. Let’s examine each of these separately, and also consider a few additional small details.
When your blood triglyceride levels are high, that usually indicates that you consume more calories than your body needs, or that you consume lots of junk foods. When your liver is confronted with an overload of calories, it converts the excess calories into triglycerides – regardless of whether the excess calories are from protein, fat or carbohydrate sources; however, when you eat lots of junk foods [such as sugary foods and all foods made with flour (pastas, breads, crackers, pretzels, cakes, cookies, cold cereals, etc. – no matter whether the flour is bleached or “whole grain”)], your blood sugar levels can rise to high levels, which cause your pancreas to secrete abnormally high levels of insulin. The high levels of insulin push your liver to produce even more triglycerides than it would have produced with lower insulin levels. The high insulin levels will also potentially cause constriction of your arteries so that a smaller clot can cause a heart attack, compared to the situation with normal insulin levels, and, if high insulin levels are routine, also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
A great exercise program will help lower your triglyceride levels – and the more demanding level that you work up to, the more effective will be your results not only for triglycerides, but also for overall health and longevity! 
Doc Wilson is a physiologist, biochemist, nutritionist and personal trainer who does personal training and nutritional counseling at Columbia Association. He earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also holds a Master of Arts in physiology from SUNY at Buffalo, and he conducted a post-doctoral fellowship in biochemistry and physical chemistry at Duke University. He is a past faculty member of the University of Maryland Schools of Medicine (Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology) and Dentistry (Department of Physiology). 
Exercise Q&A: Preventing and Reversing Hypertension with Doc Wilson