Malabsorption means your body doesn't properly absorb fat, sugar, protein or vitamins from the food you eat. Some diseases that cause malabsorption may cause your triglycerides to drop to very low levels. You obtain triglycerides, a type of fat, from fatty foods in your diet. Your body also makes triglycerides from carbohydrates, especially sugar and alcohol. If your triglycerides measure much lower than normal, work with your doctor to determine the cause and possible treatment options.
Triglyceride Levels and Malabsorption
Heart-healthy levels of triglycerides measure less than 150 mg/dl -- or milligrams per deciliter of blood -- and ideally stay below 100 mg/dl. High triglyceride levels -- 200 mg/dl or more -- put you at high risk for heart attack. Very low triglycerides can signal a poor diet, hyperthyroidism -- an overactive thyroid -- or malabsorption. Medical problems that cause malabsorption differ a great deal in severity and scope. Your doctor may run a battery of tests to determine the health issue behind your low triglyceride readings.
Cancer
Three types of cancer -- lymphomas, pancreatic cancer and gastrinomas -- can cause malabsorption and low triglycerides. Lymphoma, or blood cancers that develop in your lymphatic system, include Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Hodgkin's lymphoma proves more easy to cure, but both types respond to treatment. Pancreatic cancer, more common among smokers and obese persons, presents a low survival rate, except in cases treatable by surgery. Gastinomas are a rare type of tumor that forms in your pancreas or duodenum. Other serious diseases associated with malabsorption and low triglycerides include AIDs and HIV.
Digestive Disorders
Celiac disease and Crohn's disease can cause malabsorption and low trigycerides. Celiac disease, a digestive order often triggered by consumption of gluten, responds well to a gluten-free diet. Persons with celiac disease should not eat foods that contain barley, wheat, graham flour, rye and all foods that contain gluten. Crohn's, an inflammatory bowel disease, may improve with diet, drugs and alternative treatments such as acupuncture.
Considerations
Some weight loss medications and surgery to treat obesity can cause malabsorption and low triglycerides. Persons who can't tolerate soy or dairy may also find it difficult to accumulate normal levels of triglycerides. If your low triglycerides do not stem from a malabsorption problem, examine your diet. If you follow an austere diet that includes little fat, sugar or calories, your body may not receive enough nutrients to accumulate a healthy supply of triglycerides.
