Triglycerides

Other names: Triglycerides, Serum

check icon Optimal Result: 0 - 149 mg/dL, or 0 - 1.68 mmol/L.

What Are Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your bloodstream. After you eat, your body converts any excess calories it doesn't immediately need into triglycerides, which are stored in fat cells. Between meals, hormones release these triglycerides to provide energy.

Consistently consuming more calories than your body uses—especially from refined carbohydrates, sugars, and fats—can lead to elevated triglyceride levels. High triglycerides are a key marker of metabolic health and may raise your risk of heart disease, stroke, pancreatitis, and other cardiovascular problems.


Why Are Triglycerides Important?

Triglyceride levels are measured as part of a lipid panel, which also includes total cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. This test is used to:

  • Assess your risk of heart disease and stroke

  • Monitor ongoing treatment for high lipid levels

  • Track progress after a heart attack or cardiac event

  • Guide lifestyle or medication-based interventions

Your healthcare provider will interpret your triglyceride results in combination with other cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure, smoking status, age, blood sugar levels, and family history.


What Causes High Triglycerides?

High triglyceride levels may be caused by:

  • Overeating, especially refined carbs or sugary foods

  • Obesity or being overweight

  • Sedentary lifestyle

  • Excess alcohol intake

  • Uncontrolled diabetes or insulin resistance

  • Hypothyroidism

  • Certain medications (e.g., corticosteroids, beta blockers, diuretics, antipsychotics)

  • Genetic lipid disorders (such as familial hypertriglyceridemia)

Some people may have high triglycerides due to inherited conditions, even if they maintain a healthy lifestyle.


Who Should Get Tested?

Cholesterol and triglyceride testing is recommended at least every 4 to 6 years for people with no known risk factors, and more frequently for those who have any of the following:

  • Smoking

  • Obesity or excess weight

  • Poor diet

  • Physical inactivity

  • High blood pressure

  • Age ≥45 (men) or ≥55 (women)

  • Family history of heart disease

  • Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes

  • Previous heart attack or cardiovascular disease

Note: Traditionally, triglyceride levels are measured after fasting for 9–12 hours, but non-fasting tests are now also considered reliable in many cases. Your doctor will advise you on which test is appropriate.


Triglyceride Test Results: What Do They Mean?

Triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Here’s how to interpret the results by age group:

Adults (Age 20 and older):

Triglyceride Level (mg/dL) Category
<150 Normal (Low risk)
150–199 Borderline high
200–499 High
≥500 Very high (Increased risk, pancreatitis risk)

 

 

Children (Newborn to 9 years):

Triglyceride Level (mg/dL) Category
<75 Normal (Low risk)
75–99 Borderline high
≥100 High

 

 

Youth (Ages 10–19):

Triglyceride Level (mg/dL) Category
<90 Normal (Low risk)
90–129 Borderline high
≥130 High

 

 


How to Lower Triglyceride Levels

If your triglycerides are high, your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatments:

Lifestyle Changes

  • Adopt a heart-healthy diet: Focus on whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats (like omega-3s).

  • Limit sugar and refined carbs: These rapidly convert to triglycerides.

  • Increase physical activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

  • Lose excess weight: Even modest weight loss can significantly lower triglycerides.

  • Avoid alcohol: Especially if levels are very high.

Medications (if needed)

  • Statins

  • Fibrates

  • Niacin

  • Prescription-strength omega-3 fatty acids

Your healthcare provider will help you develop a personalized treatment plan based on your overall cardiovascular risk profile.


Final Thoughts

Triglycerides are a vital indicator of your heart health. Elevated levels may not cause symptoms, but over time they can contribute to atherosclerosis, pancreatitis, and cardiovascular disease. Regular screening, healthy lifestyle habits, and early intervention are key to maintaining optimal triglyceride levels and reducing long-term health risks.

What does it mean if your Triglycerides result is too high?

What Does It Mean If Your Triglyceride Levels Are High?

If your triglyceride test result is high, it means there is an excess of fat circulating in your bloodstream. Elevated triglycerides—also known as hypertriglyceridemia—can be influenced by several factors, including:

  • A diet high in fats and refined carbohydrates

  • Excessive alcohol consumption

  • Certain medications (e.g., beta blockers, steroids, or diuretics)

  • Medical conditions like hypothyroidism, uncontrolled diabetes, or kidney disease

  • A family history of lipid disorders or genetic predisposition


Health Risks of High Triglycerides

Persistently high triglyceride levels are linked to an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries, causing them to harden or narrow. Over time, this can impair blood flow to vital organs and increase the risk of serious health problems, including:

  • Coronary artery disease (angina or heart attack)

  • Stroke

  • Peripheral artery disease

  • Chronic kidney disease


How to Lower High Triglyceride Levels

The most effective way to reduce high triglycerides is by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. Below are evidence-based strategies your healthcare provider may recommend:

Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet

  • Choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol

  • Increase fiber intake through whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables

  • Limit added sugars and refined carbs (e.g., white bread, soda, sweets)

Stay Physically Active

  • Aim for at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming

Avoid Harmful Habits

  • Limit or eliminate alcohol, which can significantly raise triglycerides

  • Quit smoking to improve lipid levels and reduce cardiovascular risk

Manage Stress and Underlying Conditions

  • Practice stress-reducing techniques like mindfulness, yoga, or deep breathing

  • Work with your provider to manage related conditions like diabetes, obesity, or thyroid imbalances


Special Considerations

It’s important to know that triglyceride levels may be temporarily elevated during pregnancy, which is typically not a cause for concern. Always share relevant health information with your provider to ensure accurate interpretation of test results.


Final Thoughts

High triglyceride levels are a modifiable risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and other serious conditions. With the right combination of lifestyle changes, medical support, and routine monitoring, you can successfully lower your triglycerides and protect your long-term health.

If your triglyceride levels are elevated, talk to your healthcare provider to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs and health history.

All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.

What does it mean if your Triglycerides result is too low?

A low level of triglycerides is desirable in that it lowers your risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

Laboratories

Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place

We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.

lab corp logo
genova diagnostics logo
quest diagnostics logo
dutch test logo
doctors data logo
vibrant america logo
diagnostic solutions logo
zrt laboratory logo
the great plains laboratory logo
cyrex laboratories logo
spectracell logo

Pricing Table

decoration

Personal plans

$15/ month

Complete Plan

Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Begin with first report entered
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

$250/ once

Unlimited Account

Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track all results with visual tools
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export your full lab history anytime
  • Share results securely with anyone
  • Receive 10 reports entered for you
  • Skip the $15/month subscription — no recurring payments ever

$45/ month

Pro Monthly

Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports

  • Import lab results from any provider
  • Track lab results for multiple clients
  • Customize reference ranges per client
  • Export lab histories and reports
  • Begin with first report entered by us
  • Cancel or upgrade anytime

About membership

What's included in a Healthmatters membership

microscope icon Import Lab Results from Any Source

person icon See Your Health Timeline

book icon Understand What Your Results Mean

textbook icon

textbook icon Visualize Your Results

folder icon

folder icon

card icon Securely Share With Anyone You Trust

Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story

What Healthmatters Members Are Saying

5 stars rating

I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with  any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.

Anthony

Unlimited Plan Member since 2021

5 stars rating

What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!

Karin

Advanced Plan Member since 2020

5 stars rating

As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!

Paul

Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.

  • Individuals who want to track and understand their health over time.
  • Health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, and wellness coaches, need to manage and interpret lab data for their clients.

With a Healthmatters account, you can:

  • Upload lab reports from any lab
  • View your data in interactive graphs, tables, and timelines
  • Track trends and monitor changes over time
  • Customize your reference ranges
  • Export and share your full lab history
  • Access your results anytime, from any device

Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

shield icon

We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

gdpr compliance image hipaa compliance image