Reducing triglycerides?

route9

Hi folks,

I had a blood test last week and one thing the doc did mention is that while my 'bad cholesterol' is normal, my good cholesterol is on the low side and my triglycerides are high - I believe she said twice as high as the ideal.

I am wondering if anyone else is the same, and if you did anything to bring them down? My diet is relatively clean but by no means perfect, and I plan to cut down even further on sweet stuff (not that I even have a sweet tooth), and things like butter, crisps and the likes.

I also work out 3-4 times a week - cardio and strength training (more strength training of late). I also take a really good vitamin supplement, would have a Nutribullet fruit and veg smoothie and plenty of salads and the likes.

Interested to hear people's opinions!

Wexfordthemonk

route9 wrote: »

Hi folks,

I had a blood test last week and one thing the doc did mention is that while my 'bad cholesterol' is normal, my good cholesterol is on the low side and my triglycerides are high - I believe she said twice as high as the ideal.

I am wondering if anyone else is the same, and if you did anything to bring them down? My diet is relatively clean but by no means perfect, and I plan to cut down even further on sweet stuff (not that I even have a sweet tooth), and things like butter, crisps and the likes.

I also work out 3-4 times a week - cardio and strength training (more strength training of late). I also take a really good vitamin supplement, would have a Nutribullet fruit and veg smoothie and plenty of salads and the likes.

Interested to hear people's opinions!

Triglcerides are good i always taught.i take mct oil

Mellor

Wexfordthemonk wrote: »

Triglcerides are good i always taught.i take mct oil

He's talking about triglcerides in blood/cholesterol test not his diet.
Triglcerides/MCT in terms of diet is just a type a fat.

Wexfordthemonk

Mellor wrote: »

He's talking about triglcerides in blood/cholesterol test not his diet.
Triglcerides/MCT in terms of diet is just a type a fat.

Ye but surely if ur diet has a lot of triglcerides that would effect ur blood/cholesterol?

route9

It's a type of fat that is converted from food when you take in too many calories. I have a few pounds to lose so that'll be part of it. I am losing fat though through taking in less carbs and exercising, so that should help.

The doc also talked about giving up drinking as that plays a big factor. I don't drink too much and was like..give it up?! But it seems like it's just the general good advice of eat better (less saturates too), drink less or not at all, and keep up the exercise really.

Mellor

Wexfordthemonk wrote: »

Ye but surely if ur diet has a lot of triglcerides that would effect ur blood/cholesterol?

Not necessarily.
Eating something might cause a short term peak, but constantly raised levels after fasting is produced by other means. The same way that eggs contain cholesterol, but they don't actually cause high cholesterol.

Increased triglyceride levels is more closely associated with a high carb diet, high alcohol intake, and being overweight in general.

A triglyceride is simply a fat. There are many types, medium chain (MCT) is just one type. There are long and short chains too. And the there's other ways to group them beyond that (saturated, unsaturated).

ford2600

If you want to drop triglycerides and raise HDL (the ratio of which is the most reliable predictor of cvd risk from a standard blood test) then reduce junk carbs in diet and increase fat in diet; specifically mono and saturated(in that order for health not ratio).

Eating more fat doesn't mean triglycerides do up. Fat/proteins/cholesterol are carried around in blood by lipoproteins; changing what you eat changes the ratios of the cargo on board.

While the tri/hdl ratio is a good indicator I'm not sure changing your ratio necessarily changes your risk. Correlation/causation etc

route9

Thanks for the replies. I don't drink a huge amount - maybe 5-6 pints at the weekend every 2 or 3 weeks. Sometimes would go a month or more without drinking at all. Never drink at home during the week etc.

It's more carrying a few extra pounds over the years I reckon, plus a high carb diet and the crisps and chocolates and treats at home at the weekend! In my own place I don't have any of these things

Also it looks like I may have an under-active thyroid, and the doc has asked me to come back in 8 weeks for a re-test. My TSH levels are high. I don't recognise most of the symptoms except one - difficulty losing weight. Through a better diet, weight training and running, I am losing body fat at the moment - but it has always been a very slow process for me over the years.