Triglycerides

January 12, 2025, 11:13 AM IST Lalit Kapoor in FIVE PILLARS OF HEALTH: A Blueprint for Wellbeing, Health, India, TOI

Triglycerides are a type of fat that circulates in the bloodstream. Their concentration in the blood serves as a metabolic marker, with levels above 150 mg/dL signalling an early warning of ill health. Triglycerides are formed when three fatty acid molecules attach to a glycerol molecule.

As a compact storage form of fat, they play a crucial role in energy storage. Before exploring triglycerides in detail, it’s important to understand the different types of fatty acids.

Fatty acids

Fatty acids are chains of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, ranging in length from 3 to over 20 carbon atoms. Their structure determines whether they are saturated or unsaturated:

Saturated fatty acids have all carbon atoms bonded to two hydrogen atoms, leaving no room for additional hydrogen. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds between carbon atoms. Fatty acids with one double bond are called monounsaturated, while those with multiple double bonds are polyunsaturated.

Food absorption occurs either directly into the bloodstream or via the lymphatic system. If absorbed directly, it enters the portal vein and must be small enough to pass through. Larger molecules are processed by the immune system, as they are treated like foreign substances. The cutoff for direct absorption is fatty acid chains with 10–12 carbon atoms.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)

SCFAs, with fewer than 6 carbon atoms, are produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber in the colon. These fatty acids are a primary energy source for the cells lining the colon, playing a vital role in colon health.

Key SCFAs include acetic, propionic, and butyric acids. They are water-soluble and easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Increased dietary intake of fiber enhances SCFA production. SCFAs can be oxidized for energy, used to synthesize longer-chain fatty acids, or converted into ketone bodies.

Medium-chain fatty acids

Medium-chain fatty acids have 6–12 carbon atoms. For example, lauric acid, a 12-carbon fatty acid, is absorbed 25% directly into the blood and 75% via the lymphatic system.

Long-chain fatty acids

Long-chain fatty acids have 12–18 carbon atoms. Oleic acid, found in olive oil, is a common example with 18 carbon atoms.

Extra-long-chain fatty acids

These fatty acids have chains longer than 20 carbon atoms.

The gut bacteria in colon is primarily responsible for making short chain fatty acids from the insoluble fiber we consume. Colon absorbs these short-chain fatty acids easily. Longer chain fatty acids are not efficiently absorbed by the colon and are primarily absorbed in the small intestine.

Triglycerides

A healthy triglyceride level is below 150 mg/dL. Levels between 150–200 mg/dL are considered mildly high, 200–500 mg/dL hi milk gh, and above 500 mg/dL very high. Elevated triglycerides often result from high-fat diets—especially those rich in refined fats like butter and oil—or high-calorie diets that include sugar and refined carbohydrates. This fat is usually the fat in transit and it can be a result of any of many things.

Causes of high Triglycerides

1. Your previous meal had fat in it and it is more than what you can use as energy so it is being transported to your fat cells to be stored.

2. Your previous meal had too many calories which can’t be used, so the liver converts extra calories, which were in the form of protein or sugar, into triglycerides and the blood is transporting them to the fat cells to be stored for future use during periods of famine or fasting.

3. During periods of famine or fasting the blood extracts triglycerides from fat cells to be converted into (1) glycerol and fatty acids to be used as energy (2) sugar (glucose) and Ketone bodies (a form of energy for the brain) needed to run the body.

When we eliminate animal food, oil/ghee and refined sugar from our diet the triglycerides level drops very quickly.

4..Other miscellaneous causes can be lack of physical activity and emotional stress.

Notably, triglyceride levels alone are not a good health marker. For instance, even a healthy, lean person may experience a temporary spike in triglycerides after overeating. However, in individuals with conditions like atherosclerosis, consuming high-fat, cholesterol-rich food can trigger severe complications, including heart attacks.

Problems caused by high Triglycerides 

When triglyceride levels in the blood are high, the new fat formation in the liver is not removed properly for storage into our subcutaneous fat cells under the skin. As a result it lands up in unwanted places and is called ectopic fat.

• The first place it gets deposited is the liver itself causing fatty liver and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
• The second place is in our stomach cavity where many vital organs are located. This fat attaches to these organs and commonly called visceral fat. This is quite toxic and affects the smooth functioning of these organs.
• The third place where this fat gets deposited is in between our muscle cells and is referred to as Intramyocellular lipids. There it blocks the insulin receptors causing insulin resistance the main cause of type-2 diabetes.

How to lower Triglycerides 

• Engaging in physical activities lowers triglycerides levels.
• Reducing animal fat and refined fat (oils) consumption reduces triglycerides.
• Reducing over consumption of calories specially from refined carbs like sugar and white flour reduces triglycerides levels.
• Cutting down on alcohol reduces triglycerides. This is because, in the liver, alcohol is metabolized into fat.
• Intermittent fasting is a great way to reduce triglyceride levels. This is because after about 12 hours of fasting window all sugar, stored as glycogen in the liver, gets depleted and body starts using fat to provide energy as ketone bodies. This reduces the triglycerides levels in blood.

Conclusion 

High triglycerides are an early indicator of poor metabolic health and are linked to insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes, NAFLD, and visceral fat. Rather than relying on medication, focus on dietary and lifestyle changes to address the root causes. For optimal health, triglyceride levels should remain below 150 mg/dL. In rare cases, genetic factors may contribute to high triglycerides.

Click here to read the full article on Times of India