Garden State Medical Group
November 6, 2026

High Triglycerides: Causes, Numbers and What to Do

High Triglycerides: Causes, Numbers and What to Do

High triglycerides most often come from a mix of everyday factors: eating more calories than you burn, especially sugar and refined carbohydrates, drinking alcohol, carrying extra weight and being inactive. Medical conditions such as diabetes, an underactive thyroid, and liver or kidney disease can also raise them, and so can some medicines. The good news is that most of these causes can be found with a simple blood test and addressed with your primary care provider.

This guide explains what triglycerides are, what pushes them up, what your number means, how they relate to LDL cholesterol goals, and what to do next.

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TL;DR

  • Triglycerides are fats in your blood. Your body makes them from extra calories, especially sugar, and stores them in fat cells.
  • Common causes: excess calories, sugary and refined foods, alcohol, excess weight, inactivity, uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid, liver and kidney disease, and certain medicines.
  • Under 150 mg/dL is normal. 150 to 199 is borderline high, 200 to 499 is high, and 500 or above is very high.
  • Most people start with food, activity, weight and alcohol changes, and some need medicine. Your provider decides based on your full risk picture.
  • A fasting lipid panel and a few related blood tests can usually pinpoint why your level is high.

Table of Contents

What triglycerides are and why they matter

Triglycerides are a type of fat carried in your blood. MedlinePlus explains that your body makes them from extra calories, especially sugar, and stores them in fat cells for later energy. You need some triglycerides. The problem is a level that stays high.

They are measured with cholesterol in the same blood test, often called a lipid panel. According to MedlinePlus, a level of 150 mg/dL or higher is a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and may raise your risk of heart disease. Very high levels carry a separate concern, which is inflammation of the pancreas, covered below.

High triglycerides usually cause no symptoms. Most people learn about them from routine bloodwork, which is one reason regular checkups matter.

What the numbers mean

Here are the ranges MedlinePlus uses for adults:

Category Triglycerides (mg/dL)
Normal Below 150
Borderline high 150 to 199
High 200 to 499
Very high 500 or above

The 2026 ACC/AHA multisociety guideline also uses 150 to 499 mg/dL and 500 to 999 mg/dL as treatment bands, with different dietary advice for each (JACC). Your number is one piece of information. Your age, blood pressure, blood sugar, family history and LDL cholesterol all shape what it means for you.

What causes high triglycerides

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute lists a range of factors that can raise triglycerides. They fall into three groups: lifestyle, medical conditions and medicines.

Food, weight and activity

The most common drivers are the ones you can influence:

  • Regularly eating more calories than you burn. Extra calories are converted to triglycerides and stored.
  • Sugar and refined carbohydrates. Sweetened drinks, desserts, white bread, white rice and other refined starches are typical contributors. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends a diet low in added sugar, refined carbohydrates and saturated fat for fasting triglycerides of 150 to 499 mg/dL.
  • Foods high in fat. Large amounts of saturated fat, such as butter, cream, cheese and fatty red meat, can push triglycerides up alongside cholesterol.
  • Overweight or obesity. NHLBI names excess weight as a factor that can raise triglycerides.
  • Inactivity. Muscles use fat and sugar for fuel, so a sedentary routine tends to leave more in the bloodstream.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a well-known trigger. Even moderate amounts can raise triglycerides in some people, and heavier drinking raises them more. For fasting triglycerides of 500 to 999 mg/dL, the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends no alcohol at all, plus an individualized limit on total fat.

Woman pouring beer into a glass at home

Medical conditions

When triglycerides stay high despite good habits, a condition is often involved. NHLBI lists these:

  • Diabetes, especially when blood sugar is not well controlled. Insulin problems change how the body handles fat. Our guides on lifestyle tips to control diabetes and step-by-step diabetes management cover daily habits that also help lipids.
  • Thyroid disease. An underactive thyroid slows metabolism, and cholesterol and triglycerides can rise. If your thyroid is a suspect, see what happens after an abnormal result in our article on thyroid function tests.
  • Liver disease. The liver makes and clears much of the body’s fat.
  • Kidney disease. Reduced kidney function is linked to higher triglycerides.

A 2022 review is not needed to see the pattern, but clinicians do look for these secondary causes first, because treating the underlying condition often brings triglycerides down.

Medicines

NHLBI notes that some medicines can raise triglycerides, including certain treatments for breast cancer and HIV, and occasionally some medicines for high blood pressure. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own. If you take any of these and your level is high, bring it up at your next visit so your provider can weigh the options.

Genetics and rare conditions

A family history of high triglycerides matters. Rarely, an inherited problem is the main cause. Familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency is a rare genetic enzyme deficiency that stops the body from breaking down certain fats, so triglycerides build up in the blood (NORD). Familial chylomicronemia syndrome can produce persistent levels above 1,000 mg/dL and substantially raises the risk of acute pancreatitis (NORD). These conditions are uncommon, but a very high level that does not respond to lifestyle changes deserves a specialist’s attention.

As for “deficiencies” in general, ordinary vitamin or mineral shortfalls are not an established cause of high triglycerides. The enzyme deficiency above is the one with documented evidence.

Foods and habits that tend to raise triglycerides

If you want a practical list to start from, these are the usual suspects:

  • Sodas, sweet tea, juice and sports drinks
  • Candy, pastries, cakes and ice cream
  • White bread, pasta, rice and other refined carbohydrates
  • Fried foods and fatty cuts of meat
  • Full-fat dairy in large amounts
  • Beer, wine and spirits
  • Large portions late at night, and eating more than you burn

You do not have to give everything up. Swapping sugary drinks for water, choosing whole grains, adding vegetables, beans, fish and nuts, and trimming portion sizes can all move the number. Your provider can tailor this to your health, your culture and your budget.

What to do when your triglycerides are high

Start with a conversation, not a crash diet. NHLBI says providers discuss test results and may recommend heart-healthy foods, regular activity, a healthy weight, stress management, quitting smoking, good sleep, and limiting or stopping alcohol when levels are very high.

Steps you can take now

  1. Get the right test. A lipid panel measures triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL. Your provider may ask you to fast beforehand.
  2. Review the full picture. Ask about blood sugar, thyroid, liver and kidney tests, and go over your medicines.
  3. Cut sugar and alcohol first. These tend to have the fastest effect.
  4. Move more. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity and resistance exercise on 2 days per week when triglycerides are elevated.
  5. Work toward a healthier weight. The same guideline suggests aiming for 5% to 10% weight loss if you are overweight or have obesity.
  6. Recheck. Repeat testing shows whether changes are working and whether medicine should be discussed.

Can high triglycerides be treated?

Yes. NHLBI lists lifestyle changes first, then medicines including fibrates, prescription concentrated omega-3 fatty acids, statins, and sometimes ezetimibe. Very high levels may need more than one medicine. Which one fits depends on your triglycerides, your LDL, and your risk of heart disease.

When to get care quickly

Triglycerides at 500 mg/dL or above raise the risk of pancreatitis. If you have a very high result and develop severe, persistent upper abdominal pain, especially with nausea or vomiting, seek emergency care. If your result is in the very high range, contact your provider promptly rather than waiting for your next routine visit.

Triglycerides and LDL: how low should LDL be?

Many people searching for triglycerides also want to know their LDL goal. LDL is the cholesterol most tied to artery plaque, and the target depends on your risk, not on one number for everyone.

The 2018 ACC/AHA guideline set treatment intensity by absolute risk and clinical category. For people with clinical ASCVD (heart attack, stroke, or blocked arteries), it recommended at least a 50% LDL reduction with a high-intensity or maximally tolerated statin, and considered added therapy at an LDL of 70 mg/dL or higher in very-high-risk patients. It also recommended high-intensity statins for LDL of 190 mg/dL or higher.

The newer 2026 ACC/AHA dyslipidemia guideline, as summarized by the American College of Cardiology, replaces the 2018 version, uses PREVENT-ASCVD risk equations and brings back LDL and non-HDL treatment goals. In the same summary, people with very-high-risk ASCVD generally aim for an LDL below 55 mg/dL. Those with ASCVD that is not very high risk aim below 70 mg/dL. Targets get lower as risk rises.

What this means for you: your goal is personal. A person with a prior heart attack has a stricter target than a healthy 40-year-old. Ask your provider to calculate your risk and tell you your specific LDL goal. If you want to look at artery health directly, our article on carotid ultrasound results explains how plaque is assessed.

Our perspective

Triglycerides rarely rise for one reason. In our experience, a high number is a prompt to look at the whole person: food, weight, alcohol, blood sugar, thyroid, liver, kidneys and medicines.

That is why we pair a conversation with testing. Because blood tests and heart and vascular diagnostics are available through our practice, many patients can move from a question to a clearer picture without bouncing between offices.

We also believe in prevention and education. Our programs for heart health, diabetes prevention, weight management and chronic care are built around steady, realistic changes, with follow-up to see what is working.

If your triglycerides are high, you do not need to panic. You need a plan that fits your life, and a team that checks in on it.

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How we can help in North Bergen and Secaucus

If you have a high triglyceride result, or you have not had a lipid panel in a while, your first step is a visit with your primary care provider. At Garden State Medical Group primary care, we review your history and medicines, order the right blood tests and explain what your results mean in plain language.

Garden State Medical Group

Depending on your needs, we can also connect you with related services at our North Bergen and Secaucus locations:

To book a visit, use the appointment options on our website. Contact our office to ask about accepted insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, and about telemedicine visits.

Who should get tested sooner

Adults are generally advised to have cholesterol and triglycerides checked on a regular schedule, but some people benefit from earlier or more frequent testing. Consider asking for a lipid panel if you:

  • Have diabetes or prediabetes
  • Have high blood pressure or a family history of early heart disease
  • Have excess weight, especially around the waist
  • Have a known thyroid, liver or kidney condition
  • Take medicines that can affect triglycerides
  • Drink alcohol regularly

If you have diabetes risk factors, our diabetes prevention checklist is a practical place to start. If blood pressure is also a concern, see our guide to hypertension stages.

Frequently asked questions

What raises triglycerides the fastest?

Sugary drinks, large amounts of alcohol and a high-calorie meal pattern are common fast movers. Uncontrolled diabetes can also push levels up quickly. Cutting back on sugar and alcohol is usually the first change providers recommend.

What foods cause high triglycerides?

Added sugar, refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pastries, saturated fat, fried foods and alcohol are the main ones. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline recommends limiting added sugar, refined carbohydrates and saturated fat when triglycerides are 150 to 499 mg/dL.

How can I reduce my triglycerides?

Focus on less sugar and alcohol, more activity, and gradual weight loss if you carry extra weight. Fixing an underlying condition, such as diabetes or low thyroid function, also helps. If lifestyle changes are not enough, your provider may discuss medicines such as statins, fibrates or prescription omega-3s.

Do high triglycerides cause symptoms?

Usually not. Most people have no signs, which is why a blood test is the only reliable way to know. Very high levels can cause pancreatitis, with severe abdominal pain that needs urgent care.

Is a high triglyceride level the same as high cholesterol?

No. Triglycerides and cholesterol are different fats, though they are measured in the same blood test and often rise together. LDL cholesterol has its own risk-based goal, which your provider sets based on your overall heart risk.

Sources

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