Triglycerides are fatty substances in the blood. A certain degree of fats circulating in the blood is normal, but an overabundance predisposes you to numerous illnesses, including hardening of the arteries, stroke, heart attack and hypertension. High triglyceride levels occur in response to obesity, smoking, a high-fat diet, lack of regular exercise or underlying conditions such as kidney disease. Certain vitamins help lower triglycerides, including vitamin C, vitamin E and the B vitamin niacin.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C supplementation demonstrates the ability to reduce blood levels of triglycerides. According to a 2008 study conducted by Marc P. McRae, an assistant professor at the National University of Health Sciences, individuals who supplemented a minimum of 500 mg of vitamin C over the course of a month experienced a significant drop in their triglyceride levels, as well as a reduction in the concentration of LDL cholesterol -- the bad cholesterol -- in their blood. The results of the study were published in the "Journal of Chiropractic Medicine."
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another vitamin that can effectively lower triglyceride levels. A 1996 study conducted by Louisiana State University Medical Center researchers and published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition," examined 35 diabetic patients with elevated triglyceride levels. After a three-month period during which the subjects supplemented with vitamin E daily, the researchers found that triglyceride levels dropped significantly.
Niacin
Niacin is a B vitamin that displays triglyceride-lowering properties. In 2002, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researchers examined 148 patients with high levels of triglycerides and separated them into three groups -- placebo, 1,000 mg of niacin and 1,500 mg of niacin daily. At the end of the 16-week study period, the patients who took niacin demonstrated lower levels of triglycerides. The results of the study were published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine."
Caveat
High triglyceride levels can sometimes indicate the presence of an underlying condition, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome -- a hormonal imbalance that often causes ovarian cysts. Hereditary conditions such as familial combined hyperlipidemia -- wherein both high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels are passed down genetically -- and familial hypertriglyceridemia, wherein high triglycerides are inherited, will also cause consistently elevated triglycerides. Certain medications also cause triglycerides to rise, such as birth control pills, beta blockers and antidepressants. Seek medical clearance before you supplement any vitamin to reduce your triglycerides, and speak to your doctor if your triglyceride levels remain high despite dietary modifications and exercise.
References
- Medline Plus; High Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides; David C. Dugdale III, M.D.; May 2010
- "Journal of Chiropractic Medicine"; Vitamin C Supplementation Lowers Serum Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Triglycerides: A Meta-Analysis of 13 Randomized Controlled Trials; Marc P. McRae; January 2008
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Effect of Modest Vitamin E Supplementation on Blood Glycated Hemoglobin and Triglyceride Levels and Red Cell Indices in Type I Diabetic Patients; S.K. Jain et al.; October 1996
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Once-Daily Niacin for the Treatment of Dyslipidemia Associated with Type 2 Diabetes: Results of the Assessment of Diabetes Control and Evaluation of the Efficacy of Niaspan Trial; S.M. Grundy et al.; July 2002
