triglycerides

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body and in food — they are how the body stores spare energy. After a fatty meal, they surge in the blood, and over time persistently high levels are linked to a greater chance of heart and blood vessel disease.

Each triglyceride is a molecule of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone, carried through the blood inside lipoprotein particles. High triglycerides often travel with other problems — obesity, diabetes, excess alcohol, and a diet rich in sugar — and they reflect, in part, an unhealthy metabolic state rather than acting purely as a direct artery toxin.

Moderately high triglycerides raise cardiovascular risk, while very high levels can also inflame the pancreas. Because triglycerides rise after eating, they are classically measured fasting, though non-fasting tests are increasingly accepted. Treatment usually starts with lifestyle changes and controlling the conditions that drive them up.