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Assess your triglyceride levels and understand the health implications
Non-fasting results are typically 20-30% higher
Triglycerides are best measured after fasting for 8-12 hours. Non-fasting values can be significantly higher, especially after a fatty meal.
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. They come from foods, especially butter, oils, and other fats. Triglycerides also come from extra calories - when you eat more calories than you need, your body converts them to triglycerides and stores them in fat cells.
High triglycerides contribute to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease. Very high triglycerides (>500 mg/dL) can also cause acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
Triglycerides rise significantly after eating, especially after fatty foods. Fasting for 8-12 hours provides a baseline measurement. Non-fasting tests are sometimes used but have different reference ranges.
Usually no symptoms until levels are very high (>1000 mg/dL), when you might develop xanthomas (fatty deposits under skin) or have pancreatitis symptoms (severe abdominal pain). Most people discover high triglycerides through routine blood tests.
Both are important. High LDL cholesterol is a stronger predictor of heart disease, but high triglycerides contribute to cardiovascular risk and are often associated with low HDL and metabolic syndrome. They should be managed together.