What are triglycerides?
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your blood. When you eat more calories than your body needs right away — especially from sugar, alcohol, or refined carbs — your liver converts the excess into triglycerides, which get stored in fat cells for later use.
Think of triglycerides as your body's short-term energy storage. Having some is completely normal. But when levels stay chronically elevated, it's a strong signal that your metabolism isn't handling fuel efficiently — and that raises your risk for heart disease and other problems.
Why it matters for longevity
High triglycerides are one of the earliest and clearest markers of insulin resistance — a condition where your body needs more and more insulin to process sugar. Insulin resistance is at the root of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, and many other age-related conditions.
Elevated triglycerides also contribute to the formation of small, dense LDL particles — the type most likely to penetrate artery walls and form plaque. High triglycerides combined with low HDL is a particularly dangerous pattern.
One useful ratio to know: your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. Divide your triglycerides by your HDL. A ratio below 2.0 suggests good insulin sensitivity. A ratio above 3.0 is a warning sign of insulin resistance, even if both numbers individually fall within "normal" ranges. It's one of the simplest and most useful calculations you can do with a standard lipid panel.
What the numbers mean
The conventional guidelines for triglycerides are:
- Normal: below 150 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 150–199 mg/dL
- High: 200–499 mg/dL
- Very high: 500 mg/dL or above
Longevity-focused physicians prefer to see triglycerides below 100 mg/dL, with under 80 mg/dL being ideal. At these levels, you're far less likely to have the metabolic dysfunction that drives chronic disease. If your level is "normal" at 140 mg/dL, there's still meaningful room for improvement.
What affects it
- Sugar and refined carbs: These are the biggest dietary drivers of high triglycerides — even more so than dietary fat. Your liver converts excess fructose and glucose directly into triglycerides.
- Alcohol: Even moderate drinking can significantly raise triglycerides. The liver prioritizes processing alcohol over other metabolic tasks, which leads to increased triglyceride production.
- Insulin resistance: When your cells don't respond well to insulin, your liver ramps up triglyceride production. Checking your and can help you see the bigger metabolic picture.
- Body weight: Excess body fat, especially around the midsection, is strongly correlated with elevated triglycerides.
- Physical inactivity: Sedentary lifestyles reduce your body's ability to clear triglycerides from the blood after meals.
- Genetics: Some people have genetic variants that cause higher triglyceride production. But even with a genetic predisposition, lifestyle changes make a significant difference.
How to get tested
Triglycerides are part of a standard lipid panel. Fasting for 9–12 hours before the test is important here, because triglycerides are strongly affected by recent food and drink. Even a meal the night before can influence results. You can get this through your regular doctor or through online lab services. Testing once a year is standard; more frequently if you're actively working on lowering your numbers.
How to improve it
- Cut back on sugar and refined carbs. This is the most impactful change for most people. Reduce sugary drinks, juices, sweets, white bread, and processed snacks. Use our Macro Calculator to find a balanced approach to your daily carb, protein, and fat intake.
- Limit or eliminate alcohol. If your triglycerides are elevated, reducing alcohol is one of the fastest ways to bring them down. Some people see dramatic drops within weeks.
- Eat more omega-3s. Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), walnuts, and flaxseeds have been shown to lower triglycerides. An Omega-3 Index above 8% is associated with better triglyceride levels.
- Move more. Regular exercise — especially aerobic activity — helps your body clear triglycerides from your blood more efficiently. Even daily walks after meals make a difference.
- Lose excess weight. Even a 5–10% reduction in body weight can significantly lower triglycerides.
- Check the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio. Divide your triglycerides by your HDL. If the ratio is above 2.0, it's a sign that your metabolic health needs attention — even if the individual numbers look "normal."