Heart and vessels
Triglyceriden
Fats in the blood that the body stores as energy; high values are linked to diet, alcohol, overweight and diabetes.
Everything about this testWhat it measures
Triglycerides are the form in which the body transports and stores fat. After a meal they rise sharply, because fat from food travels through the blood to the muscles and fat tissue; the liver also makes triglycerides itself from sugar and alcohol. The value mainly says something about fat metabolism and blood sugar regulation, and is an additional, weaker risk marker for cardiovascular disease than LDL. Very high values carry a risk of inflammation of the pancreas.
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, especially together with a low HDL and overweight
- Disturbed fat and sugar metabolism (metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, alcohol use)
- Strongly raised values with a risk of inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
High
A raised triglyceride value is usually due to eating shortly before the blood draw, alcohol, overweight, little exercise or disturbed blood sugar; type 2 diabetes, an underactive thyroid, kidney disease, pregnancy and medicines such as corticosteroids, beta blockers, diuretics and estrogens also raise the value. It causes no symptoms, except at very high values (above about 10 mmol/l), which can cause abdominal pain due to inflammation of the pancreas. With a non-fasting value above 5 mmol/l, the GP has a fasting repeat measurement done, according to the guideline. A strongly raised value with a normal weight can be hereditary.
Low
A low triglyceride value is almost always favorable or meaningless; it fits a healthy weight, little alcohol and fasting. Very low values are rare, and occur with malnutrition, an overactive thyroid, poor absorption of fat in the gut or a rare hereditary condition. A low value causes no symptoms.
Preparation
- Fasting is not required, but it gives the most accurate result: in that case do not eat for 12 hours before the sample is taken and drink only water. If the result is very high, have the test repeated while fasting.
- Do not drink alcohol the day before the sample is taken, because alcohol raises triglycerides.
If your result is abnormal
With a raised value, the GP usually asks for a fasting repeat measurement and looks at weight, alcohol, blood sugar (glucose or HbA1c) and thyroid function. Treatment focuses on lifestyle and on the overall risk; medicines specifically for triglycerides are only considered at very high values, usually via a specialist.
Reliability
Triglycerides are a risk marker and not a diagnosis on their own. In the SCORE2 risk table they do not count separately, but indirectly via non-HDL cholesterol; they also color the picture of overweight and blood sugar. Of all the lipid values, this is the most variable: the result depends strongly on what was eaten and drunk, and when. The GP therefore always weighs the value together with the other risk factors and repeats a high result while fasting.
Limitations
- Not fasting affects the value most strongly: after a (fatty) meal it is considerably higher for a few hours. According to the guideline, the lipid profile does not need to be done fasting, but a non-fasting value above 5 mmol/l is repeated while fasting.
- Alcohol in the 24 to 48 hours before the blood draw clearly raises the value.
- The value fluctuates more from day to day than cholesterol; one measurement is not enough to establish a raised level.
- Raised with poorly controlled blood sugar, an underactive thyroid, kidney disease, pregnancy and medicines such as corticosteroids, beta blockers, diuretics, estrogens and isotretinoin.
How common is this
Raised triglycerides are common, especially with overweight, type 2 diabetes and higher alcohol use; there are no separate Dutch figures. In 2024, more than 1.6 million people in the Netherlands were known to their GP with a lipid metabolism disorder (about 9 in 100 inhabitants), most often between the ages of 55 and 70. Inflammation of the pancreas due to very high triglycerides is rare.
Who is this useful for
Useful as part of the lipid profile when estimating the risk of cardiovascular disease, with overweight, diabetes or raised blood sugar, with higher alcohol use, with a history of inflammation of the pancreas and with strongly raised lipid values in the family. If you want to measure fasting: eat nothing for at least 8 to 12 hours and drink no alcohol the day before. A stand-alone triglyceride value without cholesterol and HDL says little about the risk.
Downsides and risks
- A non-fasting or one-off high value can wrongly be read as a disease, while it is often explained by a meal or alcohol.
Sources
Always discuss an abnormal result with your GP. If a result is strongly abnormal, we try to reach you as soon as possible. Read your result yourself as well and contact your GP if in doubt. A test does not make a diagnosis. Read more about risks and results