Quick answer: triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood that, at high levels, contribute to artery plaque buildup and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. A normal fasting triglyceride level is under 150 mg/dL; borderline-high is 150 to 199; high is 200 to 499; very high is 500 or above, which also raises the risk of pancreatitis. High triglycerides usually cause no symptoms and are found through a routine lipid panel.
What Triglycerides Are
Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood, made of glycerol bonded to three fatty acids. When you eat more calories than your body needs right away — particularly from carbohydrates and sugar — the liver converts the excess into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells for later use as energy. That storage system works fine in moderation; the problem is when intake regularly outpaces what gets used.
Triglyceride Levels: What the Numbers Mean
| Category | Fasting triglycerides |
|---|---|
| Normal | Under 150 mg/dL |
| Borderline-high | 150 to 199 mg/dL |
| High | 200 to 499 mg/dL |
| Very high | 500 mg/dL or above |
These are the standard categories used in a lipid panel. Very high levels carry an additional risk beyond heart disease: acute pancreatitis, a painful and potentially serious inflammation of the pancreas, becomes more likely as triglycerides climb well above 500 mg/dL.
How High Triglycerides Affect the Heart
Elevated triglycerides contribute to fatty deposits forming in the artery walls — atherosclerosis — narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow over time. This process is silent for years before symptoms appear. High triglycerides are also frequently accompanied by low HDL (“good”) cholesterol and higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, a pattern that compounds the risk beyond what any single number would suggest on its own. This combination is common in metabolic syndrome, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
What Causes High Triglycerides
- Diet — refined sugar, trans fats, excess calories overall, and regular alcohol intake
- Lifestyle — sedentary habits and smoking, both of which impair normal lipid processing
- Medical conditions — type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypothyroidism, kidney disease
- Genetics — some inherited lipid disorders cause high triglycerides regardless of diet or lifestyle
Lowering High Triglycerides
- Cut refined sugar and carbohydrate. This has more impact on triglycerides than reducing dietary fat for most people.
- Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week.
- Lose weight if overweight. Even modest weight loss meaningfully lowers triglycerides.
- Limit alcohol. Alcohol has an outsized effect on triglycerides specifically, more than on other lipids.
- Choose unsaturated fats like fish, nuts and olive oil over saturated and trans fats.
- Medication, when needed. For persistently high or very high levels, a doctor may prescribe fibrates, high-dose omega-3 medications, or other lipid-lowering drugs, particularly when pancreatitis risk is a concern.
Preventing Heart Disease Overall
Triglycerides are one piece of a larger picture. Keeping a healthy weight, staying active, not smoking, and following a balanced diet address triglycerides alongside blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar — the other major modifiable risk factors for heart disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
200 to 499 mg/dL is classed as high, and 500 mg/dL or above is very high and also raises the risk of acute pancreatitis. Under 150 mg/dL is normal, and 150 to 199 mg/dL is borderline-high.
Many people can lower triglycerides through diet, exercise and lifestyle changes alone — particularly cutting refined sugar and carbohydrate, limiting alcohol, and losing weight if overweight. Medication is generally added when lifestyle change isn’t enough, especially at high or very high levels.
A standard blood test called a lipid panel, usually done after fasting, checks triglyceride levels alongside LDL, HDL and total cholesterol.
Usually not. High triglycerides are typically silent and found through routine blood testing rather than symptoms. Rarely, very high levels can cause visible fatty deposits under the skin called xanthomas, or trigger acute pancreatitis, which does cause noticeable symptoms including severe abdominal pain.
No. High triglycerides raise risk, but risk can be substantially reduced through lifestyle change and, where needed, medication. Addressing triglycerides alongside blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar gives the best overall risk reduction.
Sources
- MedlinePlus — Triglycerides.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute — Blood Cholesterol.
- Cleveland Clinic — Triglycerides.
Last updated: August 2026. This article is general information and is not medical advice. Triglyceride targets and treatment are individual and should be discussed with your doctor.
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