What is the Recommended Level of Triglycerides for Adults?

Your triglycerides levels tell a story about your overall heart health. When you know what your triglyceride levels signify and how they affect your total health picture, you can take steps to maintain healthy levels.

Identification

• Triglycerides are what becomes of excess calories you consume. If your body doesn't immediately need those calories for energy, it stores them in your fat cells for later use. If you routinely consume more calories than you use, you may have an excess build-up of triglycerides.

Testing

• You can't determine your triglyceride levels by how you feel or look, so they must be tested with a blood sample. This is done as part of a routine overall cholesterol blood test, otherwise known as a lipid profile.

Levels

• An ideal triglyceride level would be below 150 mg/dL. A number between 150 and 199 is on the border between desirable and high. Anything above that is too high, and above 500 mg/dL is dangerously high.

Significance

• A high triglyceride level is also linked to a high total cholesterol level as well as to high LDL "bad" cholesterol and low HDL "good" cholesterol. High triglycerides and total cholesterol put you at an increased risk for heart disease and other chronic conditions, like diabetes.

Treatment

• Your lifestyle determines your triglycerides, so lifestyle changes are necessary to decrease high levels. Exercise to bring your weight to a healthy range, eat fewer sugars, quit smoking, and cut down on alcohol consumption.