Triglycerides

Question regarding cholesterol and triglycerides?

I am in my early 20s. I just got my cholesterol checked today, and it most certainly not good. But the funny thing is, my triglyceride level was very low - way below 150 mg/dL. How can that be? Does this mean that my high cholesterol is due to my diet? Thanks in advance!!

Public Comments

1. Diet does play a part. Try to reduce saturated fat and trans fats. Try foods known to reduce cholesterol level (like oat meal). If this works great! If not there are always cholesterol reducing drugs.
2. Diet roughly represents your blood cholesterol and triglycerides (TG). Normal TG ranges from 50-150, it usually is a better indication of your calories intake i.e when you eat, your body uses the calories it needs for quick energy. Any extra calories are turned into triglycerides and stored in fat cells to be used later. The excess calories are stored as fat regardless of what kind of food you eat-fat, carbohydrate, or protein. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, you may have high triglycerides. High cholesterol is due to your "fatty" diet i.e if you consume more red meat or food high in saturated fat and cholesterol, your cholesterol level will increase. Elevated cholesterol in a young individual like you is most likely due to genetics; of course, diet has its contribution. So what shall you do? Depending on how "high" your cholesterol along with your LDL & HDL level, your doctor will prescribe you antilipid medications accordingly. You must change your lifestyle habits: quit smoking if you smoke, exercise and healthy diet. - Choose fiber-rich food (whole grains, legumes, nuts) as the main source of carbohydrates, along with a high intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Walnuts in particular have cholesterol-lowering properties and are a good source of antioxidants and alpha-linolenic acid. -Avoid saturated fats (found mostly in animal products) and trans fatty acids (found in hydrogenated fats and many commercial products and fast foods). Choose unsaturated fats (particularly omega-3 fatty acids found in vegetable and fish oils). -In selecting proteins, choose soy protein, poultry, and fish over meat After starting on any heart healthy diet, it generally takes an average of 3 - 6 months before any noticeable reduction in cholesterol occurs. However, some people see improved levels in as few as 4 weeks. So be patient!