Triglycerides are a type of fat found in foods as well as the body. They travel the bloodstream and are stored in fat cells as an energy source if needed. High triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Unhealthy lifestyle choices play a major role in high triglyceride levels, but certain medical conditions and prescription medications can increase triglyceride levels as well.
Diet and Weight
An unhealthy diet consisting of high-fat foods along with extra weight is a major risk factor for elevated triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are stored in the fat tissues of the body and in most cases as weight increases triglyceride levels increase as well, according to the website all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com. Calories consumed from the diet that are not immediately needed are converted into triglycerides by the body and stored for use later. Overeating and consuming high-fat, high-calorie foods such as red meats and sweets increases triglycerides stores in fat cells and can lead to high levels in the blood.
Alcohol
Alcohol contributes to high triglyceride levels by several different mechanisms. Alcohol stimulates the liver to produce more triglycerides resulting in increased triglycerides in the blood. It also reduces the amount of a special enzyme involved in the breakdown of triglycerides in the body, according to the website High-Triglycerides.com. Alcohol is also high in calories and sugars that may contribute to weight gain and the excessive accumulation of triglycerides.
Medications and Conditions
A variety of medications and medical conditions may contribute to high triglyceride levels in the blood. Prescription medications such as diuretics or water pills, beta-blockers, birth control pills, certain breast cancer drugs or medications containing steroids may elevate triglyceride levels, according to MayoClinic.com. Diseases associated with an increased risk of high triglycerides include liver and kidney disease, hypothyroidism and genetic conditions affecting the body's metabolism of fat.
Diabetes
Individuals with type 2 diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, or NIDDM, are at an increased risk of developing high triglyceride levels. The majority of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, which contributes to elevated triglycerides, but other mechanisms that lead to elevated triglycerides are at play in those with diabetes. Diabetics commonly have increased free fatty acids in the body, which increases the synthesis of triglycerides by the liver. Also, high blood sugar levels increase the amount of fatty acid substrates available for the liver to make triglycerides, according to an article in the April 1988 issue of "Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis."
References
- Thieme Journals: Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis: Hypertriglyceridemia: causes and relation to coronary heart disease
- June Russell's Health Facts: Alcohol - Heart and Triglycerides
- High Triglycerides: Alcohol and Triglycerides
- Mayo Clinic: High Cholesterol
- Optimal Heart Health: The Causes of High Triglycerides: What You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk
- all-about-lowering-cholesterol: What are the causes of high triglycerides?
