Caffeine & Triglycerides

Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States. Your habits, including physical activity, weight, alcohol consumption and other dietary choices, including caffeine intake, can all affect your triglycerides, which play a part in your risk of heart disease. However, the effects of caffeine on fat may have advantages for some people.

Caffeine and Triglycerides

Triglycerides are the storage form of excess calories. When you eat more calories than your body needs, they are turned into triglycerides, a type of fat, and brought to an adipose storage site. Adipose is a term used to describe a large storage of fat on your body. When your energy is running low, your body can release triglycerides from storage and use them. Too many triglycerides inside your blood can be harmful to your health, though. Caffeine raises triglycerides by stimulating fat metabolism. When you ingest caffeine, your body signals to release triglycerides from adipose storage sites and into the blood.

Advantages

For athletes, ingesting caffeine before a competition or training can provide a distinct advantage. Since caffeine increases triglycerides in your blood, this gives the athlete's body a larger availability of fat as energy. Through fat metabolism, muscles are able to reserve glucose stores, which can increase endurance. According to Dr. Michael Colgan, author of "Optimum Sports Nutrition," caffeine reduces the perception of fatigue as well as lactic acid buildup, both of which limit performance.

Disadvantages

For the average person, an increase in triglycerides in the blood may not be helpful. Excess triglycerides in your blood increases your risk of heart disease and stroke by contributing to atherosclerosis, plaque buildup in the arteries. High triglycerides may also signal other health problems such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney or liver disease. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your triglyceride levels under 100 mg/dL.

Other Factors

Caffeine is in coffee, tea, soda and chocolate. These can also contain simple sugars and empty calories, which contribute to your triglyceride levels. Maintaining healthy weight is one step toward lower triglyceride levels. In addition, a diet high in refined and simple sugars contributes to high triglycerides. Following a low-fat, low-sugar eating plan can keep your triglycerides in a healthy range.