Triglycerides Test

A triglycerides test is a blood test that measures the amount of a fat in your blood called triglycerides. High blood triglyceride levels may increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. A triglycerides test can help you decide if you need to take action to lower your risk.

Some triglycerides are important for good health. Your body uses them for energy. If you eat more calories than you need, your body turns the extra calories into triglycerides and stores them in your fat cells to use later.

When your body needs energy, your cells release triglycerides into your bloodstream to provide fuel for your muscles to work. But high triglyceride levels in your blood may affect your arteries and increase your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and blood vessel disorders. Extremely high levels of triglycerides also increase the risk of acute pancreatitis in adults and children.

High blood triglycerides are very common and have many possible causes, including: Eating a lot of foods that are high in fat and sugar, and other simple carbohydrates or 'carbs,' such as foods made with white flour; Not getting enough exercise; Having certain medical conditions, such as: Kidney or liver disease; Thyroid disease; Diabetes that's not well-controlled; Being overweight or having obesity; Alcohol use disorder (AUD); Inherited conditions (passed down through families); ; Taking certain medicines, such as diuretics (water pills) and some that treat breast cancer, and HIV; High blood triglyceride levels usually don't cause any symptoms, so routine testing is important to help you find and treat high triglyceride levels before they harm your health. Other names for a triglycerides test: TG, TRIG, lipid panel, fasting lipoprotein panel

Why this test is done

Your provider may order a lipid profile, including a blood triglycerides test, as part of a routine checkup. If you are being treated for high cholesterol and/or triglycerides, you may also need this test to see how well your treatment is working.

How often you need a lipid profile test depends on your age, sex, family history, and your risk of developing heart disease. Ask your provider how often you need to have your blood lipid levels tested.

These are the general recommendations for testing blood lipid levels, including triglycerides, in healthy people:

• For people who are age 19 or younger:
• The first test should be between ages 9 and 11.
• Children should have the test again every 5 years.
• Some children may have this test starting at age 2 if there is a family history of high cholesterol, heart attack, or stroke.
• For people who are ages 20 to 65:
• Younger adults should have the test every 5 years.
• Men ages 45 to 65 and women ages 55 to 65 should have it every 1 to 2 years.
• For people older than 65:
• They should be tested every year.

You may need to be tested more often if you already have heart disease or have a higher risk for heart disease because you:

• Have a family health history of early heart disease. That means your father or brother had heart disease before age 55 and/or your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65.
• Smoke.
• Have excess weight or obesity.
• Have unhealthy eating habits and/or don't get enough exercise.
• Have prediabetes or diabetes.
• Have high blood pressure.

How to prepare

You may need to fast (not eat or drink) for 9 to 12 hours before your blood is drawn. Your provider will let you know if you need to fast and if there are any special instructions to follow.

Sample type

Blood