Triglycerides are lipids, a type of fat. They are found in
foods that come from both plants and animals. The triglycerides in
plants come from vegetable oils, such as sunflower and peanut, which
remain liquid at room temperature. Meat and dairy products contain
triglycerides in animal fats, which remain solid at room temperature.
Triglycerides are necessary for certain bodily functions, but high
levels of them can lead to health problems.
Characteristics
Triglycerides are the most common lipid found in the body.
They contain three chains of fatty acids. Although similar in structure
to the phospholipids that build cell membranes, triglycerides are
completely hydrophobic, meaning they cannot mix with water, so they
cannot integrate into membranes. Because they can't mix with water,
triglycerides bind to specialized proteins called lipoproteins to enable
them to travel through the blood.
Energy Storage
Triglycerides provide your body with energy, but their main
function is to store energy for later use. The food you eat contains
calories in the form of carbohydrates, protein and fat. When you consume
more calories than your body can use, it stores those calories in the
form of triglycerides. Fat cells hold the triglyceride molecules until
your body needs energy, such as between meals. Hormones signal the fat
cells to release the triglycerides for your body to use.
Health Impact
Triglycerides serve a necessary function -- without them your
body would run out of energy unless you were eating constantly. The
American Heart Association warns that an elevated triglyceride level, a
condition known as hypertriglyceridemia, is associated with coronary
artery disease. You can monitor your triglyceride and your cholesterol
levels by asking your doctor to order a lipid panel profile, which
requires you to provide blood samples. The test results indicate the
levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL
cholesterol.
Healthy Levels
Doctors recommend a triglyceride level of 150 milligrams per
deciliter or less to reduce your risk of heart disease. A level of 200
to 499 milligrams per deciliter is considered high, and a level above
500 milligrams per deciliter is very high. If your triglyceride level is
in the high or very high range, you should make lifestyle changes to
reduce those numbers.
Lifestyle Changes
The best way to reduce your triglyceride level is to decrease
the number of calories you consume each day, especially if you are
overweight. In addition to cutting calories, reduce your intake of
saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and eat more fruits and
vegetables. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation, because even
small amounts can cause significant changes in your blood triglyceride
level. Getting regular moderate-intensity exercise, at least 30 minutes
five days a week, can also help lower your triglycerides.
Dizziness is the feeling of being lightheaded, woozy, or
unbalanced. It affects the sensory organs, specifically eyes and ears.
It can cause fainting. Dizziness is not a disease but a symptom of other
disorders. Vertigo and disequilibrium may cause a... Read more
See a list of possible causes in order from the most common to the least.
1
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Also known as hypoglycemia, low blood sugar can
be a dangerous condition. Hypoglycemia is rare in people who are not
suffering from diabetes, the chronic disease that affects the body's
ability to regulate blood sugar...
Labyrinthitis
Labyrinthitis is an inner ear disorder in which a
nerve that detects head movement becomes inflamed. Symptoms include
dizziness, vertigo, and nausea.
Hypotension
Hypotension is the medical term for low blood
pressure. Low blood pressure is good in most cases, but it may lead to
fatigue, dizziness, or even loss of consciousness. It can be a symptom
of an underlying condition.
Menieres Disease
Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear.
It's not known what causes it, but there are a variety of treatments
available to help with the symptoms.
High Blood Pressure Overview
High blood pressure (hypertension) increases your
risk for heart attack, stroke, coronary heart disease, and other
serious health problems.
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
An abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) is a change
in the heart's beating pattern. There are many different types with
different causes and effects. Possible symptoms are feeling faint, chest
pain, and sweating.
Stroke Overview
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
A stroke (a "brain attack") is a medical
emergency in which part of the brain is deprived of oxygen. This occurs
when an artery that supplies oxygenated blood to the brain becomes
damaged and brain cells begin to die.
Heart Attack Overview
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Image attribution
A clot blocks the blood flow to the heart (heart
attack), and damages heart muscle. Symptoms include chest pain,
shortness of breath, and a blue or grey tinge to the skin.
Bleeding
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Image attribution
Bleeding can refer to blood loss inside the body
(internal bleeding) or blood loss outside of the body (external
bleeding). It can cause bruising, pain, and symptoms of shock. Too much
bleeding can lead to death.
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation happens when you suddenly start
breathing very quickly. Exhaling more than you inhale causes low carbon
dioxide levels.
Dehydration
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than
you drink. The most common cause of water loss from the body is
excessive sweating. Headaches, dizziness, and decreased urination are
symptoms.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a condition chararcterized by
persistent anxiety and recurrent panic attacks. Sweating or chills are
possible signs of a panic attack.
Motion Sickness
Motion sickness is a sensation of wooziness that
usually occurs when someone is traveling by car, boat, plane, or train.
It can cause an upset stomach, nausea, cold sweats, dizziness, and
headache.
Heat Emergencies
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Heat emergencies are health crises caused by
exposure to hot weather and sun. Heat emergencies have three stages:
heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke.
Beriberi
Beriberi is a term used for vitamin B1, or
thiamine, deficiency. Vitamin B1 is found in foods like milk, beans,
vegetables, meat, and whole grains.
Hypovolemic Shock
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Hypovolemic shock is a life-threatening condition
that results when you lose more than 20 percent (one-fifth) of your
body's blood or fluid supply. This severe fluid loss makes it impossible
for the heart to pum...
Middle Ear Infection
A middle ear infection (otitis media), occurs
when a virus or bacteria causes the area behind the eardrum to become
inflamed. It is most common in children.
Hypothermia
Hypothermia
is a condition that occurs when your body temperature drops below 95
degrees Fahrenheit. Major complications can result from this drop in
temperature, including death. Hypothermia is particularly dangerou...
Vertebrobasilar Circulatory Disorders
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Vertebrobasilar circulatory disorders are a group
of diseases in which not enough blood is supplied to the back of the
brain. Symptoms depend on the cause, but may include vision and sleep
problems, dizziness, and more.
Cold and Flu Overview
Common colds and influenza are contagious
infections that affect the respiratory system. Both are airborne
illnesses, spread through coughing and sneezing. Shared symptoms include
headache, cough, sore throat, and more.
Benign Positional Vertigo
Benign
positional vertigo (BPV) is the most common cause of vertigo. An
episode is generally triggered by changing the position of your head.
Ventricular Tachycardia
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Ventricular
tachycardia (VT) is a very fast heartbeat caused by a malfunction of
the heart's pacing mechanism. VT can occur with or without heart
disease. Symptoms include fainting, dizziness, and more.
Whiplash
Image attribution
Whiplash
occurs when a person's head moves backward and then forward very
suddenly with great force. This injury is most common following a car
collision.
Caffeine Overdose
The
recommended amount of caffeine is usually 400 mg per day for healthy
adults. Caffeine overdose may occur if you ingest more than this amount.
Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT)
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
People
with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PVST) experience a
faster-than-normal heart rate. Learn more about the symptoms and risk
factors.
Atrial Flutter
Atrial
flutter (AFL) is a type of abnormal heart rate, or arrhythmia. It
occurs when the upper chambers of your heart (the atria) beat too fast.
When the top of your heart (atria) beats faster than the botto...
Epidural Hematoma
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Image attribution
An
epidural hematoma occurs when blood fills the area between the skull
and the protective covering of the brain. It usually results from a
traumatic injury to the head, and puts you at risk for brain damage or
death.
Pregnancy
Bleeding or spotting, increased need to urinate, tender breasts, fatigue, nausea, and missed period are signs of pregnancy.
Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter
Atrial
fibrillation and atrial flutter are irregular heart rhythms that occur
when the upper chambers of your heart (the atria) beat too fast.Atrial
fibrillation can be sustained or can occur in bursts. It creates a...
Mini Stroke (Transient Ischemic Attack)
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
During
a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini stroke) blood stops flowing to
the brain for a short period of time. TIA doesn't kill brain cells like a
stroke does. TIA causes symptoms that mimic those of a stroke.
Arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis
is a narrowing of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque. It's also
called arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries.
Ectopic Pregnancy
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Ectopic
pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg fails to attach to the uterus.
In most ectopic pregnancies, the egg will attach to the fallopian tubes.
Less common, it may also attach to the abdominal cavity or cervix...
Pulmonary Embolism
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
A
pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that affects blood flow to the
lungs. It can damage part of the lung due to restricted blood flow,
decrease blood oxygen. The most common symptom is shortness of breath.
The Catastrophy of Cardiac Tamponade
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Cardiac
tamponade is a condition where the sac that encases your heart fills
with fluid and then puts pressure on your heart. This undue pressure
keeps the heart from filling with blood properly. When this happens,
th...
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Image attribution
The
aorta carries blood from your heart down to your abdomen, legs, and
pelvis. Swollen aortic walls in the abdomen is known as an abdominal
aortic aneurysm.
Viral Gastroenteritis
Viral
gastroenteritis, also known as the stomach flu, is caused by a number
of different viruses. Its symptoms usually last for two to three days.
Common Cold Overview
The
common cold is a virus that involves symptoms like sneezing, a runny
nose and a headache. Learn the causes, symptoms and treatments for the
common cold now!
Peptic Ulcer
Peptic
ulcers are painful sores in the lining of the stomach, esophagus, or
small intestine. Peptic ulcers are a fairly common health problem.
Toxic Megacolon
This condition is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
Toxic
megacolon is a rare, life-threatening widening of the large intestine
and is usually a complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia
is an eating disorder in which obsessive worry about body weight and
the food you eat can result in severe weight loss. Symptoms include
constipation, missed period, and thinning hair.
This feature is for informational purposes only and should not be used to diagnose. Please consult a healthcare professional if you have health concerns.
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