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A Drug-Free Solution to Elevated Blood Triglycerides
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Lowering High Triglycerides: What You Need to Know
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The term triglycerides, or triacylglycerols, is simply a fancy name for fat, or what scientists call lipids; however, triglycerides get their name from their chemical structure.
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In medicine, hypertriglyceridemia denotes high (hyper-) blood levels (-emia) of triglycerides. As a part of lipid management, it has become a major medical problem. This website is intended to allow you to become an informed patient who can manage your own care, ask the right questions, insist on adequate management and information, and seek an optimal outcome for yourself. Perhaps it will even help the health professionals who are giving care to better understand and, hopefully, incorporate into their practice the nutritional approach to high blood triglycerides.
Please note that this website is not intended for “most people”. It is written for those who want to stand out in self-health care. If you are such a person, we strongly advise that you give serious thought to all of the suggestions about how to improve you blood lipid profile, triglycerides in particular. If you are tempted to think the suggestions are too complicated or simplistic, or even biased, we assure you they are not.
Elevated blood triglycerides, or hypertriglyceridemia, is a common lipid disorder in North America.
Although 25 percent of the population of Western nations have elevated serum triglycerides levels, there is still lots of confusion about what triglycerides are and how they relate to cardiovascular disease, especially atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
Triglycerides circulate constantly in all the subtypes of lipoprotein carrier in the blood, ferrying fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to locations where they're needed, aiding in the synthesis of certain hormones and protecting cell membranes.
Unfortunately, due to unhealthy eating habits to many people the word "lipid" is synonymous with problems, such as
- fatty foods, such as butter, cheese, meat, milk, etc.
- high cholesterol levels
- elevated triglycerides levels
- animal fat (butter, lard/pork, beef)
- saturated fat (present in butter, cheese, meat, meat products - sausages, hamburgers, full-fat milk and yogurt (but also in vegetable sources such as coconut and palm oil)
- "trans fat" (the "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" found in chips and cookies),
- obesity
- heart disease and stroke, etc.
Actually, these examples are more a consequence of what one might call dietary lipid abuse rather than implying that lipids are inherently damaging or dangerous.
On the contrary, lipids, such as triglycerides, are crucial to cell function (such as cellular membrane function) and played key roles in the survival of our ancestors through times when food was scarce.
Approximately 50 percent of the fat from a meal is burned for energy and the remainder is sent to adipose tissue (body fat), where it is stored until it's needed as energy fuel when a person is fasting. A lean adult has 15 kg of triglycerides which represents approximately enough energy to survive for 3 months (one pound of human body fat contains 3,500 calories).
More than 90 percent of the fat in the food we eat and in the fat folds on our bodies is made up of triglycerides. The fat tissues in which triglycerides are stored serve as fluid cushions around organs, such as the kidneys and the abdomen, and provide thermal insulation.
In foods, fats provide flavor and palatability.
The other two main classes of fats - less than 10 percent of the fat - are phospholipids, such as lecithin, and sterols, such as cholesterol.
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A Close Relative of Cholesterol
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Although related, triglycerides and cholesterol are different types of fats. They are natural substances always found together in the bloodstream (triglycerides are used as fuel by the liver to make cholesterol). Chances are if you have high triglycerides, you probably have high cholesterol, although there are exceptions.
They also coexist in animal fat. So when we eat meat, dairy, eggs and other animal products we consume both cholesterol and triglycerides together. Cholesterol doesn't exist in plants and so it's not present in fats and oils derived from plants.
Like cholesterol, triglycerides are necessary for life itself; they are chains of high-energy fatty acids providing much of the fuel needed for body cells to function. As a matter of fact, they liberate the largest amount of energy per unit mass of any of the fuel sources.
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Blood Triglycerides Levels: Normal Range
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Where our triglycerides should be is sort of the million dollar question. It's actually being debated.
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There is still conflicting opinion among medical experts regarding when a triglyceride level is too high.
Triglycerides test results are reported as numerical values rather than as "high" or "low", or "normal". Therefore, it is necessary to know the reference range for the test which may vary by person's age, sex, etc.
What does the fasting triglyceride test result mean? How high is high?
As triglyceride levels in the blood vary a great deal, right now, the general figure ("normal" range) is based on a fasting level of under 150 mg/dL, or 1.7 mmol/L.
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High Triglycerides: Multiple Causes and Associated Conditions
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The most common cause of an elevated triglyceride level is a non-fasting specimen.
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There are many, common and uncommon causes of high blood triglycerides, including dietary indiscretion, metabolic disease, drugs, or rare genetic mutation of an enzyme in the lipid metabolism pathway (type I hyperlipoproteinemia).
It is a well-known fact, that in many cases unfavourably elevated blood triglyceride levels are caused by:
- too acid pH of glycerol (due to diet and lack of potassium via phosphorylation in the stomach) and
- improperly oxidized (metabolized) fatty acids in the gut by pancreatic enzymes.
If this is the case, only a multi-based, specialty nutritional supplement can help solve the problem for most people.
However, the commonest cause of an elevated triglyceride level is -- inadequate patient fasting, since a recent meal will cause fat in the form of triglycerides to be transported from the gut to the rest of the body.
Once a non-fasting specimen has been eliminated as a possible cause of increased triglycerides, the other causes should be considered, such as:
 metabolic syndrome X, also called the insulin resistance syndrome or pre-diabetic syndrome; although not a cause of high triglycerides, metabolic syndrome is closely associated with this condition, along with low HDL-"good" cholesterol
- obesity or overweight; generally when people lose weight, both triglycerides and HDL-"good" cholesterol improve
- type 2 diabetes and/or when the body cannot handle blood sugar (glucose); poorly controlled diabetes can increase triglycerides significantly, especially when blood glucose is out of control
- prolonged stress - during stress, fat is not being metabolized as rapidly and efficiently; a new study has found the evidence that psychological stress causes triglycerides to stay in the bloodstream longer contributing to heart disease (Psychophysiology, 2002: 39; 80-85)
- prolonged depression - depression works on your body in different ways than stress, but the results are the same; in a 1994 study, Dr. Glueck and colleagues demonstrated that high blood triglycerides, together with high total cholesterol and low HDL-"good" cholesterol, were the sole causative factors in mild to serious depression he detected in patients referred for treatment of severe familial hypertriglyceridemia
- too long fasting (way over 14 hours); it causes major changes in energy metabolism, especially with implications for blood triglycerides
- regular ingestion of refined carbohydrates such as starches, grains, sweets, and other sugar-containing foods; generally, a diet in which more than 60% of the energy intake is from carbohydrates
- heavy caffeine use, on average 560 mg of caffeine per day; however, the amount of caffeine in coffee or tea is variable: one 5 oz. cup of coffee contains approximately 40-170 mg caffeine (average 80 mg), one 12. oz. can of Cola contains 30-60 mg caffeine (average: 45 mg), one 8 oz. cup of black tea (one tea bag) contains 25-110 mg caffeine (average: 40 mg)
- smoking cigarettes (overall, as smoking is one of the biggest contributors to excessive blood fats, smokers have significantly higher serum concentrations of triglycerides compared with nonsmokers; smoking does damage indirectly by reducing HDL-"good" cholesterol, which helps take triglycerides from the blood back into the liver for excretion.)
- alcohol (alcohol abuse - heavy drinking or alcoholism)
- lack of exercise (sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity)
- chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis, most often associated with alcohol abuse
- nephrotic syndrome, a condition indicating kidney damage, characterized by high levels of protein in the urine, lack of protein in the blood that lead to hyperlipidemia with elevated cholestorols, triglycerides and other lipids, and edema
- pancreatitis - inflammation or infection of the pancreas, which in turn may be caused by high levels of triglycerides
- cyclosporine (Neoral) - a potent immunosuppressant, prescription medication used to prevent rejection problems in kidney, liver, heart and bone marrow transplants (currently, a bone marrow transplant is the only cure for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML); however, the procedure is successful less than 2/3 of the time). Following bone marrow transplants, cyclosporine increases both triglyceride and LDL-"bad" cholesterol levels in blood
- dialysis or kidney transplantation; 50 to 80 percent of kidney transplant patients have some degree of high cholesterol and/or triglycerides which may persist for years after transplant
- interferon (IFN) therapy - there are several reports that interferon can cause alterations in lipid metabolism in about 10 to 15 percent of patients resulting in mild elevations in triglycerides and increases in cholesterol; usually, the changes return to normal when treatment is stopped
- atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of heart disease
- hyperlipoproteinemia (hyperlipidemia), characterized by abnormally high levels of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, or both) carried by lipoproteins in the blood
- vertigo which may be a symptom of numerous problems with metabolism, including high blood triglycerides (Lehrer JF, Poole DC, Seaman M, et al. Identification and treatment of metabolic abnormalities in patients with vertigo. Arch. Intern. Med. 1986;146:1497–500)
- underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) - a condition caused by the effects of too little thyroid hormone in tissues of the body
- cystic fibrosis, a fatal inherited disorder affecting mainly the lungs and the digestive system (high blood triglyceride levels in people with cystic fibrosis may be related to a chronic low-grade inflammation or to a dietary macronutrient imbalance with an excess absorption of simple carbohydrate compared to fat)
- Kawasaki Disease (KD) - a febrile systemic vasculitis in children; an inflammation of the blood vessels accompanied by high fever of unclear cause and overrepresented in Asian populations, especially Japanese, and among Americans of Japanese descent; in the early phase of KD, lipid profile alterations include increased levels of triglycerides and decreased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and cholesterol; if untreated, KD can be complicated by coronary and peripheral arterial aneurysms (CAA)
- lupus, an autoimmune disorder, chronic inflammatory disease affecting especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys
- gout, one of the most common forms of arthritis (joint inflammation), usually affecting the feet and ankles, especially the ball of the big toe
- Cushing's syndrome, sometimes called "hypercortisolism" - a relatively rare hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol, commonly characterized by upper body obesity
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - an endocrine (hormonal) disorder; although high triglycerides are very often associated with PCOS, they are not seen in every woman (no two women experiencing PCOS have exactly the same symptoms)
- estrogens, for example as "the pill" or as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), such as Premarin (for menopause or hysterectomy); progesterone, however, also tends to increase blood triglycerides and decrease HDL-"good" cholesterol
- corticosteroids (kor-ti-koe-STER-oyds) - strong cortisone-like, antyinflammatory drugs, such as Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone, and Prednisone; abnormal deposits of fat on bones and in the bone marrow reduce the blood circulation leading to osteonecrosis, also called avascular necrosis, typical in AIDS patients
- cholestyramins (koe-less-TEAR-a-meens) - drugs for lowering cholesterol, such as Questran or Prevalite
- beta-blockers - a short name for beta-adrenergic blocking agents or beta-blocking agents (most of the generic names for beta blockers end with "olol"); used in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension), cardiac arrhytmias, angina (chest pain) and in patients with coronary artery disease to help prevent additional heart attacks. Some beta-blockers, without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA), tend to raise serum triglycerides and to decrease HDL-"good" cholesterol. The common adverse effects of beta-blocker are cold hands, fatigue; the less common, but serious adverse effects include the provocation of asthma, heart failure or conduction block. Beta-blockers are effective in only about 20 percent of patients over 60 years old in whom the thiazides (diuretics) are the drugs of choice
- diuretics - such as thiazides (bendrofluazide), medicines usually given for high blood pressure or heart failure, often in combination with other antihypertensive agents, including beta-blockers; also known as water pills, diuretics increase blood triglycerides
- Tamoxifen (Nolvadex), the number one recommended drug treatment for women recovering from breast cancer; however, with potential lethal side-effects; besides elevated blood triglycerides, tamoxifen has been associated with induced menopausal symtpoms, eye damage, blood clots, asthma, liver, uterine (endometrial), and gastrointestinal cancers
- miconazole (intravenous) - an antifungal agent administered by intravenous infusion in the treatment of severe systemic fungal infections such as candidiasis
- spironolactone - a drug for cirrhotic ascites (hepatic cirrhosis with ascites)
- Accutane (a trade name of Isotretinoin) - a powerful drug used in the treatment of acne with several significant side effects, including increased blood fats - sometimes to risky levels; for this reason, all people need to have their blood checked for triglyceride levels before starting this medication and every 4 to 6 weeks while taking it
- Quinapril (Accupril), an antihypertensive (blood pressure lowering agent) known as an ACE inhibitor with numerous side effects, including high triglyceride levels
- Mirtazapine (Remeron), a newer antidepressant (it can cause increased blood levels of triglycerides to 500 mg/dL, or 5.6 mmol/L)
- cancer – "The lipid profile in cancer patients is characterized by low low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and relatively high serum triglycerides." (Journal of Clinical Laboratory Research 2000; 30(3): 141-145)
- early-onset of schizophrenia - dyslipidemia may be related to the more severe forms of schizophrenia or to a more prolonged exposure to antipsychotics; also a poor diet due to cognitive disorders may play a role, increasing the risk for the cardiovascular complications of higher serum triglyceride levels (Am J Psychiatry 161:176, January 2004)
- HIV+, especially protease inhibitors (PIs), such as Ritonavir, associated with fat redistribution, increased risk for atherosclerosis, diabetes and bone damage (osteonecrosis) due to lipid abnormalities (hypertriglyceridemia or hypercholesterolemia)
- periodontal disease - a Japanese study indicates a relationship between elevated serum triglyceride level (> 149 mg/dl, or 1.7 mmol/L) and periodontal status (Community Dent Health 2004 Mar;21(1):32-6).
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Triglyceride Levels: Current Guidelines
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The NCEP advises that adults have their blood lipids checked at least once every five years, starting at age 20. However, if you are over 40 you should get your triglycerides tested at least once a year. Diabetics must have their triglycerides measured every three (3) months.
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In May, 2001, the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), released recommendations on who should be treated for elevated triglyceride levels.
The NCEP recommendations ("consensus statements") are the products of independent, non-Federal panels of experts and are based on the panels' assessments of medical knowledge available at the time the statements were made.
Therefore, they provide "snapshots in time" of the state of knowledge of the topics (new knowledge, however, is inevitably accumulating through medical research).
It should be noted, however, that the usually quoted "normal" blood lipid levels do change as they depend upon the levels found in the majority of the population as well as upon what... health officials decide is normal.
Therefore, the declared "normal" triglyceride levels -- that your doctor will use to tell you whether your various serum/blood levels are "normal" -- do NOT necessarily mean "healthy" levels.
Here is the American Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel’s current policy on fasting blood triglyceride levels in adults:
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less than 150 mg/dL (<1.7 mmol/L) |
Normal |
| 150 - 199 mg/dL (1.7–2.3 mmol/L) |
Borderline-high |
| 200 - 499 mg/dL (2.3–5.64 mmol/L) |
High |
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higher than 500 mg/dL (>5.64 mmol/L) |
Very high |
Here are the Canadian guidelines on fasting blood triglyceride levels in adults:
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less than 2.0 mmol/L (<177.2 mg/dL) |
Optimal |
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2.0 - 2.5 mmol/L (177.2 - 221.5 mg/dL) |
Acceptable |
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higher than 2.5 mmol/L (>221.5 mg/dL) |
Compromised |
According to some European guidelines, blood triglyceride levels in adults should be categorized as follows:
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less than 1.7 mmol/L (<150.1 mg/dL) |
No
risk |
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between 1.7 - 2.3 mmol/L (150.1 - 203.1 mg/dL) |
Suspect |
| fasting 1.7
- 2.3 mmol/L (151.1 - 203.1 mg/dL) |
Requiring
attention and intervention |
2.3 - 4.6 mmol/L (203.1 - 407.1 mg/dL)
with high LDL cholesterol (greater than 4.1 mmol/L, or 160 mg/dL) |
Requiring aggressive treatment |
The following "normal" blood triglyceride reference ranges are based on someone's age:
| Age |
"Normal" Triglyceride Range |
| 10 - 29
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53 - 104 mg/dL, or 0.6 - 1.2 mmol/L |
| 30 - 39
years |
55 - 115 mg/dL, or 0.6 - 1.3 mmol/L |
| 40 - 49
years |
66 - 139 mg/dL, or 0.7 - 1.6 mmol/L |
| 50 - 59
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75 - 163 mg/dL, or 0.8 - 1.8 mmol/L |
| 60 - 69
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78 - 158 mg/dL, or 0.9 - 1.8 mmol/L |
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> 70 years |
83 - 141 mg/dL, or 0.94 - 1.6 mmol/L |
Here's another example of the "normal range" of blood triglycerides based on gender and age. Many health professionals find it quite accurate:
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Adult Males |
Upper level: 130 mg/dL + age; Maximum: 200 mg/dL, or 2.3 mmol/L
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Adult Females |
Lower level: 80 mg/dL + age; Maximum: 165 mg/dL, or 1.9 mmol/L |
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Adult Males and Females |
Lower level: Your age |
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Adult Males and Females |
Below 100 mg/dL, or 1.1 mmol/L: Ideal level |
Keep in mind, these are only guidelines. The ranges were developed based on the entire population and may not apply to individuals.
PLEASE NOTE: Fasting values should be based on two serial measurements of serum (blood) triglycerides. Serial measurements are important because of intraindividual triglyceride variability which is 5 times that of cholesterol.
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Healthy and Beneficial Blood Triglyceride Levels
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As the "optimal" levels reflect health, the IDEAL (ie. beneficial) blood triglyceride levels for cardiovascular health seem to be the levels between 70 mg/dL and 100 mg/dL, or 0.8 - 1.1 mmol/L.
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The average triglyceride level in the United States is 134 mg/dL, or 1.5 mmol/L and is considerably higher than triglyceride levels below 100 mg/dL, or 1.1 mmol/L commonly observed in countries where heart disease rates are low.
Although medical establishments consider blood triglyceride levels of 10 - 150 mg/dL, or 0.1 - 1.7 mmol/L normal, or good, according to many experts, desirable or favorable fasting blood triglyceride levels should be 50 - 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 0.6 - 1.7 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) of blood.
"Normal", however, does NOT necessarily mean "healthy" as it may include both healthy and many unhealthy people. We want "healthy", not just "normal" serum triglyceride (and other lipid) levels.
Therefore, in order to avoid future cardiovascular health problems, the "ideal" or beneficial (healthy) range of triglycerides should be much tighter than the often quoted "normal" triglyceride range referred to by your doctor, that is below 150 mg/dL, or 1.7 mmol/L.
This is important as elevations of the blood triglycerides, particularly in association with decreased HDL-"good" cholesterol, outside this range are the key marker for heart disease and stroke.
In people with diabetes, a triglyceride level of 100 mg/dL, or 1.1 mmol/L is considered to be a target value.
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"Research shows that levels above 100 mg/dl significantly increase your risk for heart attack," says Bruce Holub, PhD, nutrition researcher at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.
For each mmol/L increase in triglycerides - which translates into 88.5 mg/dL - the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) increases by 37 percent in women and 14 percent in men.
All else being equal, a man with a triglyceride level of 300 mg/dL would have a risk of cardiovascular events roughly 28 percent higher than that of an otherwise comparable man who has a level of 100 mg/dL (a meta-analysis by John Hokanson and Melissa Austin, 1996).
Therefore, for every percentage your triglyceride level drops, so can your chance of heart disease or stroke.
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Triglyceride gets its name from its chemical structure: a molecule of triglyceride is composed of a backbone of the alcohol glycerol to which three fatty acids ("tri") are bound, hence its name: "tri-glyceride." Any combination of saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fatty acids can be in a triglyceride molecule.
A good way to envision a triglyceride molecule is to look at your hand:
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Hold out the three center fingers and fold back the thumb and little finger. The three fingers are the three fatty acids and your hand is the glycerol. As the three fingers are different, so the three fatty acids in a triglyceride can be different. The fatty acids can be long or short, saturated (stiff) or unsaturated (bendable).
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Triglyceride Molecules Gallery
Being of plant (vegetable) or animal origin, triglycerides are found in
- body fat (as solids in peripheral adipocytes)
- cooking oil (corn, soybean, peanut, olive oil)
- shortenings, mainly canola-based (used for baking cookies, breads, pie crust etc., and for frying, especially in volume cooking in schools, hospitals, cafeterias, restaurants etc.)
- lard (pork fat)
- beef fat
- milk
- butter, and
- cheese.
Grab a hold of your love handles - those wobbly stubborn pieces of fat on the sides of the waist - and you've got a handful of triglycerides. Eat a steak, and you've got a mouthful of them...
When we eat fatty products, the triglycerides end up in our blood. Even when we don't eat them, triglycerides are present in our blood. Our bodies make them from excess carbohydrate in our diet.
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The Triglyceride Transport System
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As found in the bloodstream, triglycerides are fats being transported from intestines to body cells. They may originate from two sources:
- the food you eat, mainly sugar, animal products and saturated fat (sweets, red meat, dairy) and/or be manufactured within the body by
- the liver itself -- especially during times, when dietary fats are not available.
Dietary fats (from food) are absorbed through the gut – the intestines where they are assembled (synthesized) into special “lipid packets” called chylomicrons, a microscopic lipid particles formed during fat digestion and assimilation.
Chylomicrons, containing approximately 85 percent triglycerides, are then delivered through the bloodstream to the liver, where they are processed (the normal half-life of chylomicrons is about 10 minutes).
One of the main jobs of the liver is to make sure that all the tissues of the body receive the triglycerides they need to function at optimal levels. Whenever possible (i.e., for about 8 hours after a meal), the liver takes up dietary triglycerides from the chylomicrons produced in the intestines.
However, fats are not soluble in water. Because the liquid part of blood is made up with water, the liver packages triglycerides, along with special proteins, into tiny water-soluble packages-spheres, or carrier molecules, called very low density lipoproteins, or VLDL. In this form, they are released into the circulation and delivered to the cells of the body.
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Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL)
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If fact VLDL is one of three, synthesized by the liver major "lipid packets,” which include high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). Each one of these "packets" contains triglyceride and cholesterol, but in varying amounts unique to each packet.
As their name suggests, very low density lipoproteins (VLDLs) are much lighter than low density lipoproteins (LDL), containing mainly cholesterol, and high density lipoproteins (HDL), containing mostly the excess cholesterol removed from tissues and carried back to the liver.
This is because of their makeup - VLDL particles contain less protein and more fat (mainly triglycerides) than both LDL and HDL. In fact, fatty triglycerides account for approximately 50 percent of the dry weight of a VLDL molecule, compared to only 5 to 10 percent for LDL and HDL. It contains so much triglyceride, in fact, that you can get an idea of what the VLDL concentration is by dividing the triglyceride value by 5.
At present, there is no direct way of measuring VLDL, so the direct measurement of triglyceride is considered the next best thing, and the calculation is done if needed. However, the more VLDL is produced by the liver, the higher triglycerides, and the more fat in the blood. A high level of VLDL ("normal" is 1-30, optimal is below 20) also goes hand in hand with a low level of protective HDL-"good" cholesterol.
Furthermore, as VLDL travels through the bloodstream – its normal half-life is about 9 hours - cells remove its triglycerides, which are replaced with cholesterol.
(The half-life of a substance refers to the time required to eliminate or metabolize half of the total quantity of the substance from the body following its digestion.)
However, any disturbance in lipid synthesis causing an excess of intestinal chylomicrons and/or and excess of VLDLs produced in the liver, or any disturbance in their metabolism (breakdown) will cause elevations in triglyceride levels in the bloodstream.
This is bad news. According to many experts, triglycerides themselves can be harmful to the cardiovascular system. Also, excess fat makes the blood more sluggish and reduces its ability to carry oxygen to cells.
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High Triglycerides May Cause Weight Gain
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Researchers from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri have found that high triglycerides block leptin - a hormone secreted by our fat cells - from getting into the brain by impairing its transportation system (Diabetes, 2004: May).
As a result, leptin cannot do its work in turning off feeding and burning calories.
In other words, high triglycerides make the brain "think" the body is starving so we keep eating and... gaining weight. This is probably one of the reasons why so many people are becoming obese.
By lowering triglycerides then, we could help the body's own leptin to work better so we could get skinnier avoiding heart problems, cancer and diabetes - common chronic diseases linked to obesity.
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High Triglycerides: The Diabetes Link
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Elevated blood triglycerides level is the most common lipid (blood fat) disorder in people with diabetes.
If you are diabetic, monitoring your triglycerides is essential as they have been identified as an important risk marker for coronary heart disease due to atherosclerosis (blood vessel problems), which in turn can lead to strokes, heart attacks, amputations.
Therefore, in order to prevent heart and blood vessel disease, correcting your blood triglyceride level should be your priority.
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Roughly half of people with hyperlipidemia - 42 million - is affected by hypertriglyceridemia – increased triglyceride levels.
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Medical experts disagree about the significance of high triglycerides - whether high triglycerides in the absence of high LDL and low HDL is a problem. However, studies have shown that elevated triglyceride levels do contribute significantly to the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD).
As a result of that disagreement, triglycerides don’t get as much attention from the medical community as cholesterol, but they are certainly important to overall health.
Even if cholesterol levels are... normal, triglycerides can contribute to the clogging of the arteries in the heart.
In the United States alone, there are about 85 million office visits a year by people with elevated levels of cholesterol and/or triglycerides – a condition called hyperlipidemia.
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The Nutritional Control of Triglycerides
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Elevated plasma triglycerides are in your control and can be brought down naturally.
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As high blood triglycerides are a common lipid disorder in North America, we all know someone with this problem or we have it ourselves.
If you're interested in avoiding or ending personal experience with this disorder, we have good news for you.
The main and foremost goal of the nutritional approach to elevated blood triglycerides is to improve and/or restore the body's metabolism of
- lipids (fats) and
- carbohydrates, especially refined sugar, processed grains and starches.
The body chemistry can be boosted only by optimum nutrition, that is by helping the cells to
- receive more vital nutrients - nourishment needed for their optimal function (and survival)
- stabilize the body's insulin levels, according to many studies, directly associated with HDL-"good" cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels, and
- undergo the ongoing process of detoxification - an essential factor in preventing and fighting all health problems.
Without improving the lipid metabolism, prescription drugs are... a futile exercise, although they can be life saving at times.
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This is especially important for those, who have a family history of diabetes, heart disease or stroke due to atherosclerosis.
Fortunately, there are people, including a growing number of doctors, who admit that there are successful methods to reduce elevated levels of blood lipids (fats), other than temporary medical intervention.
There are also people - with or without high triglycerides - who are willing to trade their lifestyle habits for healthy arteries and a healthy old age; people who are making serious efforts to give their heart and cardiovascular system a longer, healthier life through optimum nutrition.
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The cornerstone of our triglyceride control method is our proprietary Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula. It is a comprehensive multiple vitamin and mineral supplement that provides optimal levels of nutrients to support people with high blood triglycerides.
There have been medical studies on the beneficial effect of nutritional supplementation on triglyceride levels; it appears people with high triglycerides do benefit from dietary supplements.
Nutritional factors - naturally occurring substances, not drugs whose substances are foreign to the body - are able to boost the body chemistry by
- correcting possible deficiencies and/or imbalances
- improving metabolism of lipids (fats) and carbohydrates (sugars, starches, processed grains), and
- providing optimum conditions for the proper functioning of the body's own intrinsic ability to heal itself.
As far as the cardiovascular system is concerned, according to orthomolecular nutrition, if the right building blocks (nutrients) are present in the body - in the right amounts and at the right time - the body will do the rest.
In other words, if you want to lower your triglyceride levels you need to get to the root of the problem. By just pulling a dandelion out by its leaves, you are not going to get very far...
In our clinical experience, Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula helps:
- stabilize the body's insulin levels, according to many studies, directly associated with HDL-"good" cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels
- supply the body with adequate antioxidant levels (to improve their ratio to free radicals)
- correct and optimize the natural processes (biochemical and enzymatic) of fat metabolism
- stimulate plasma lipoprotein lipase (involved in the catabolism of triglycerides)
- protect the liver against increases in fatty acids, thus preventing the fatty liver
- improve the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids in the blood
- prevent weight gain by improving transportation of the body's leptin into the brain (this hormone, secreted by fat cells, is reponsible for regulating appetite and energy expenditure, and for controlling weight).
So far, we have introduced our proprietary Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula to our clients and customers in 44 countries: the United States (including Virgin Islands, Hawaii, and Guam), Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Thailand, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, Trinidad, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Pakistan, Singapore, Mauritius, Suriname (South America), France (including Martinique), Bolivia, Russia, Croatia, Poland, Portugal, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong, Macau, St. Lucia (West Indies), Norway, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Brasil, Yemen, Kingdom of Bahrain, Turkey, China, Guatemala, Kuwait, Japan, Taiwan, Jordan, Cyprus and Fiji Islands.
We know you will join them. Sooner or later... This all-natural combination of 57 nutrients and phytonutrients (plant nutrients) not only keeps your blood fats in check (as drugs do), but actually helps your body rebuild the organs and systems that control your blood lipids - without side effects.
No wonder, Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula can produce results that doctors have rarely seen before, even with hard-core prescription drugs. And, unlike pharmaceutical drugs, it is very body-friendly.
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Triglyceride Reduction Formula does not "destroy" triglycerides! It helps the body to eliminate the cause, namely, to correct the possible metabolic imbalances that are known to contribute to high blood triglycerides.
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Our proprietary Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula is a complete "multi" supporting healthy blood lipid levels.
It has been designed to provide optimal concentrations of vitamins, anti-oxidants, lipotropic factors, chelated minerals, trace minerals, and digestive enzymes as they are all necessary to bring the triglycerides down to normal.
This approach is based on the well-known fact that elevated blood triglycerides are usually caused by:
- too acid pH of glycerol (due to diet and lack of potassium via phosphorylation in the stomach) and
- improperly oxidized (metabolized) fatty acids in the gut by pancreatic enzymes.
Therefore, only a multi-based, full-spectrum nutritional supplement can help - in most cases - solve the problem.
Complete nutritional supplementation is also effective when blood triglyceride levels are too low; this condition is often caused by:
- too alkaline pH of glycerol (due to lack of infusion of chloride via phosphorylation in stomach; when the cellular tissue are too alkaline, the fatty acids tend to disintegrate and give off glycerol) and
- fatty acid congestion in the liver.
Again, a full-spectrum nutritional supplement providing B vitamins, lipotropic factors, hydrochloric acid (HCL) and digestive enzymes can help - in most cases - solve the problem.
As a complete food supplement, Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula consists of:
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nutrients involved in fat metabolism (assisting in burning hepatic and intestinal triglycerides), such as inositol, choline and dl-Methionine
- nutrients directly involved in lowering triglycerides levels, such as niacin (vitamin B3), chromium, calcium and vitamin E (Diabetes Care 1994;17:1449–52. Postgrad Med 1995;98:183–93 [review]. Lipids 1972;7:202–6. J Nutr 1991;121:165–9)
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methyl donors, such as folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12
- adequate levels of antioxidants to reduce free radical activity, especially in bodies that carry too much fat
- all essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, E, niacin, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium
- glandular concentrates, such as adrenal, liver, pancreas, and
- nutrients supporting bile flow and the healthy liver function, such as L-Cysteine.
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Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula® 
Blend of 65 Nutrients and Phytonutrients
Clinically Formulated
Serving Size: 1 Tablet
Servings Per Container: 150
SUPPLEMENT FACTS: |
Amount Per Serving
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| 1. Vitamin A (All Trans Retinyl Palmitate) |
1,000 IU |
| 2. Beta Carotene, Natural |
400 IU |
| 3. Vitamin C (as 90% Ascorbic Acid and 10% Ascorbyl Palmitate) |
250 mg |
| 4. Vitamin D-3 (Cholecalciferol) |
200 IU |
| 5. Vitamin E (85% D-Alpha Tocopheryl Succinate and 15% Mixed Tocopherols, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma) |
80 IU |
| 6. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride) |
14 mg |
| 7. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) |
7.5 mg |
| 8. Niacin (Vitamin B3) |
15 mg |
| 9. Niacinamide |
2 mg |
| 10. Vitamin B6 (75% Pyridoxine HCl, 25% Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate) |
9 mg |
| 11. Folic Acid |
650 mcg |
| 12. Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin) |
250 mcg |
| 13. Biotin |
500 mcg |
| 14. Pantothenic Acid (Calcium Pantothenate) |
50 mg |
| 15. Calcium (HVP* Chelate) |
26 mg |
| 16. Iodine (Potassium Iodide) |
60 mcg |
| 17. Magnesium (HVP* Chelate) |
16.25 mg |
| 18. Zinc (Monomethionine) |
4 mg |
| 19. Selenium (Methylselenocysteine) |
30 mcg |
| 20. Manganese (Gluconate) |
2.5 mg |
| 21. Chromium (Chromium Polynicotinate) |
300 mcg |
| 22. Potassium (Chloride) |
13 mg |
| 23. L-Cysteine Hydrochloride |
55 mg |
| 24. DL-Methionine |
40 mg |
| 25. Choline |
35 mg |
| 26. Lemon Bioflavonoids |
25 mg |
| 27. N-Acetyl-Cysteine |
25 mg |
| 28. Inositol |
20 mg |
| 29. Betaine (Trimethylglycine) |
20 mg |
| 30. Pantethine (as Coenzyme A precursor) |
12.5 mg |
| 31. Sytrinol®** (Nobiletin and Tangeritin Compund) |
12.5 mg |
| 32. Quercetin |
12.5 mg |
| 33. Adrenal Substance |
7.5 mg |
| 34. Pancreas Substance |
7.5 mg |
| 35. Pancreatin 8x |
7 mg |
| 36. L-Glutamic Acid HCl |
4.5 mg |
| 37. Ox Bile |
4.5 mg |
| 38. RNA (Ribonucleic Acid |
4.5 mg |
| 39. Hypothylamus Substance |
3.75 mg |
| 40. Liver Substance |
3.75 mg |
| 41. Pituitary (Anterior) Substance |
3.75 mg |
| 42. Bromelain (3,000 MCU) |
2.5 mg |
| 43. Vanadium (Vanadyl Sulfate) |
2.5 mg |
| 44. Boron (Citrate) |
200 mcg |
| 45-65 . PROPRIETARY BLEND : |
156.5 mg |
| Garlic Extract (Allium sativum) (Bulb), Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) (Standardized to 0.5% Arjunolic Acid) (Bark), Guggulipid Extract (Commiphora mukul) Guggulsterones as resinous gum, standardized to 2.5%), Maca Extract (Lepidium peruvianum Chacon) (Standardized 4:1) (Root), Chlorophyll (as Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin), Bitter Melon Leaf Extract (Momordica charantia) (Standardized to 0.5% Charantin), Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) (Berry), Cinnulin PF®*** Cinnamon Extract (Cortex cinnamoni) (Bark), Gymnema Sylvestre (Standardized to 25% Gymnemic Acids), L. Banaba Leaf Extract (Lagerstroemia speciosa) (Standardized to 1.0% Corosolic Acid), Artichoke Leaf Extract (Cynara scolymus) (Standardized to 5% Cynarin), Blueberry Leaf (Vaccinium angustifolium), Burdock Powder (Arctium lappa) (Root), Curcumin Extract (Curcuma longa) (Root), Gentian Powder (Gentiana lutea) (Root), Grape Seed Extract (Vitis vinifera), Rosemary Leaf Extract (Rosmarinus officinalis) (Standardized to 6.0% Carnosic Acid), Shilajit (Himalayan mineral pitch), Sylimarin Extract Standardized (from Milk Thistle seed), Triphala Extract (Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula, Emblica officinalis) (Fruit), Lycopene Extract |
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Non-medicinal ingredients: Cellulose, vegetable stearate and silica
*HVP hydrolysed vegetable protein.
**Sytrinol® is a proprietary extract of Plymethoxylated flavones and tocotrienols from citrus and palm fruits.
***Cinnulin PF® is a registered trademark of Integrity Nutraceuticals International. |
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SUGGESTED USAGE: Take 1 tablet up to five times daily with meals, or as recommended by a qualified healthcare professional.
CAUTION: If you are under a physician’s care or taking medication, or if you are pregnant or nursing, consult your healthcare practitioner before using this product.
This product does not contain MSG, wheat, gluten, soy protein, fish, shellfish, milk/dairy, corn, egg, nuts, sugar, salt, starch, artificial coloring, preservatives or flavoring.
FULL OF HEALTH INC. Since 1996
Vitamin-Mineral-Botanical Supplement
to Support Healthy Blood LIpid Levels ****
PREMIUM QUALITY & PURITY
**** This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Full of Health and TGs Formula are registered trademarks of Full of Health Inc. (Canada).
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View TGs Formula Label (PDF) |
PRINT
Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula
SUPPLEMENT FACTS
As you can see, there is no one "miracle" ingredient in Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula.
It is a specialty complex orthomolecular formulation with
strong lipid-lowering properties providing a comprehensive support
for the entire circulatory system.
All nutrients are present in specific ratios and amounts in order
to correct longer standing deficiencies and imbalances
that are known to contribute to elevated blood fat levels.
They come in pill form, but they are not drugs; they are components of food.
For better absorption and consistent blood levels, the doses should be spread out over each day.
Hundreds of thousands of people have proven the efficacy of this approach.
There has not been a single reported harm done by taking
our Triglyceride Reduction TGs Formula.
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Your primary concern may be with the glandular and organ concentrates used in Triglyceride Reduction Formula - adrenal, liver, and pancreas and the outbreak of bovine spongiforn encephalopathy (BSE), also known as Mad Cow disease - a chronic, degenerative disease which affects the central nervous system in cattle.
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TGs Formula: It Will Pay Off Years Later
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Keeping the body and heart healthy will pay off years later in reduced risk for the disease.
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Picture an average middle-aged guy. He has
- triglycerides and LDL-"bad" cholesterol that are over the limit
- a tad too high blood pressure, and
- an extra few pounds he could lose.
In other words, like one in five American guys, he has the metabolic syndrome, the condition also known as Syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome, namely, the collection of health risks that will increase his chance of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Although this guy knows that he is at increased risk - he figures he has time.
Fast-forward 10 years. Our guy has
- ignored his elevated blood lipids
- ignored high blood pressure
- put on even more weight, and
- had a full-blown stroke.
He survived the stroke, but he may be at higher risk of developing other health problems, including Alzheimer's that can destroy his brain.
The health message is clear: what you do today about your health does matter in the future!
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As blood fats (triglycerides, cholesterol, etc.), to a great extent, are intimately related to what you eat, your diet has a strong impact on the levels of triglycerides in the blood. Therefore, your food choices should be given serious consideration.
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Our collection of the low-grain, low-added sugar recipes will help you get started on your journey to improved triglycerides level without having to choose between good health and great taste - in no time!
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There is strong evidence that aerobic exercise and stress reduction - if done regularly - are both protective of the cardiovascular system and supportive of the immune processes. For adults, increased levels of triglycerides are almost always a sign of not enough exercise.
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It is our clinical experience that also flexibility (anaerobic) exercise, such as stretching - an important link between our sedentary life and active life - has a lowering effect on blood triglyceride levels; for full health benefits, it can be combined with Y-DAN (aerobic) exercise.
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High Triglycerides: The Stress Link
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Prolonged stress is one of the main causes of elevated blood triglycerides. A new study has found the evidence that psychological, mental stress causes triglycerides to stay in the bloodstream longer contributing to cardiovascular health problems (Psychophysiology, 2002: 39; 80-85).
The stress factor, however, has been repeatedly underestimated with regards to elevated blood lipids (fats).
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Don't have your better lipid health prompted just by panic!
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Even when your triglycerides are way up - off the chart at 800 mg/dL, or >9.0 mmol/L - you can't tell. There's no symptom. And that's what makes it so scary. Because no one feels badly with high triglycerides, a lot of people simply have no clue!
The only way you know you might have a problem that needs to be attended to is to get the blood test. As a matter of fact, triglyceride count test is the test everybody gotta have at least once a year.
But there's even more to it. You should absolutely know your triglyceride level, if you have symptoms of the metabolic syndrome X, in other words, if you
- are overweight
- eat too many refined or simple carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, cakes, etc.),
- have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure, or
- have a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular health problems.
Home Collected Triglycerides Test is a simple, FDA-approved, clinical laboratory analysis that measures the amount of the following lipids in your blood:
- triglycerides
- total cholesterol
- HDL-"good" cholesterol, and
- calculated LDL-"bad" cholesterol.
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Users' feedback offers hope, which is also therapeutic. And this is ethical so long as there is no mispresentation.
In this spirit, we present a number of comments - what others say about the nutritional control of elevated triglycerides and other blood lipids.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
I’ve been reading and re-reading your website information on diet and triglycerides.
About a couple of weeks ago, I stopped using alcohol and reduced sugar in my diet. I feel different! Food tastes better and each item has a unique taste. That must have been hidden under the familiar sugary flavor.
On 5/25/05, my readings were: cholesterol – 225 [mg/dL], HDL – 41 [mg/dL], LDL – 122 [mg/dL] and triglycerides – 310 [mg/dL].
My doctor is a “statin” man. I don’t want to go that route again with little of triglycerides reduction and lots of muscle and neck stiffness instead.
I can hardly wait for the next lab test to re-check my lipid levels.
Please stand by for the happy news then. Thank you!
Sincerely,
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Without any doubt, high blood fats are controllable. The only questionable are the strategies used to achieve that.
As all known and available strategies have their drawbacks, each of them should be treated equally. However, the natural measures, as drug- and risk-free, should be given priority.
Medical establishments want to know more about the nutritional approach: Does it "really" work? In "all" cases? "Serious studies" need to be conducted. Etc.
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Don't Be A Helpless, Trapped Victim!
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Over 40 percent of Americans cite the Internet as the main source of information about nutritional supplements (a 2002 survery).
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The best way to get control of your health is to take action - move forward and do something about it.
Therefore, it is important for you, or someone you love or hold dear, to be decisive about what you want to do about your condition, rather than to be vague or unsure.
The consequences of your indecisiveness could be detrimental.
At Full of Health we hope that you will take action and give the nutritional approach to elevated blood lipids serious consideration; it can help you get and keep your triglycerides under control naturally - without harmful prescription drugs.
Think, feel and act positive. Be more concerned with what is right than with who is right. All-in-all, elevated blood triglycerides can be a serious, life-threatening condition!
Discover what many people still don't know, or do not want to know about the nutritional reduction of blood triglycerides; your life, or the life of someone you know or hold dear, may depend upon it!
Unless you do your homework after leaving your doctor's office, the treatment for high triglycerides means prescription medications. Nary a word about nutritional supplements that can be a great help in bringing triglycerides down to healthy level.
So better to do your homework on triglycerides-lowering options now than to get stuck with risky drugs and further cardiovascular health problems later.
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ReduceTriglycerides.com: Visitors' Comments
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Our visitors write to us:
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Monday, August 16, 2004
Dear Sirs,
Having read the web site, I was very happy to find something that is useful for me and my family.
I actually didn't know what triglycerides really are or what they meant. But I read about them and found out.
Thank you very much! Very clear information so that everybody can understand.
Kind regards,
Barno
London, UK
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Monday, April 05, 2004
Great site!!! Way too much good info...
Crabby
USA
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Wednesday, February 5, 2003
I just sat down to refresh my memory a little on triglycerides and up came your page.
I am an RN and I find myself very impressed with your exceptional ability of explaining a difficult topic in a manner that could be understood by anyone.
A great health teaching tool, you are to be congratulated.
Regards,
Jim A.,
Midland, Ontario
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TGs Formula: Purity and Quality Assurance
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It is impossible to judge the true quality of a product – especially a natural product – simply by reading a list of ingredients.
Factors such as freshness and freedom of contamination of the raw materials, just to name a few, are critical variables as well.
Even experts experienced in nutritional technology cannot assess the value and quality of a product by merely reading a label.
To ensure that our consumers receive the highest quality, contaminant-free products, all our supplements must pass as many as 37 individual laboratory tests, consisting of:
- 27 assays to ensure each ingredient is present in the amount stated on the label
- 3 separate analyses to confirm the tablets are free from harmful elements, including: arsenic, lead and other heavy metals
- 4 individual examinations to confirm the absence of harmful bacteria, including E.coli, salmonella, staphylococcus and other bacteria
- 2 tests to confirm the tablets are free from yeasts or molds
- 1 assessment to confirm that the tablets dissolve rapidly in gastric fluid.
Our Triglyceride Reduction Formula™ is certified by an independent laboratory to meet the stringent testing outlined. This ensures that our clients and customers receive the highest quality, contaminant-free product.
Patented, pharmaceutical quality. FDA-approved manufacturing plant and procedures
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Due to popular demand, our complete, clinically proven triglyceride-reduction program is now available in a book authored by Andrew Mierzejewski, RHN, MA an accomplished registered holistic nutritionist and president of Full of Health
We are so proud to be offering an expanded second edition of this comprehensive source of practical information, answering all questions and concerns you might have about the role triglyceride play in our health and the natural means of controlling them.
Some of the important insights on lowering triglycerides you'll learn from this book include:
- Health risks marked by high blood triglycerides
- Right (and wrong) foods to fight and prevent elevated blood triglycerides
- Effects of high carbohydrate diet on the triglycerides synthesis and metabolism
- Standard medical treatments and prescription drugs for elevated blood triglycerides
- Simple lifestyle changes you should make to optimize your blood lipid profile
- The single most important supplement you can take that should be a regular part of your diet as it will greatly reduce your blood triglycerides
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Triglyceride Reduction Formula.
A Vitamin-Mineral Supplement to Support Healthy Blood Lipid Levels
Quality Ingredients, Proper Dosages,
No Cost-Cutting Shortcuts
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Although we might often wish otherwise, there are no quick fixes or magic pills on the road to good health and well-being. Good health requires work and commitment.
Who is it that bears the primary responsibil | | |
