Most men over 40 have had their cholesterol checked. They know their LDL number. They've been told whether it's high or low. What they almost never know is their triglyceride level — and that's the number that tells you far more about what's actually happening inside your arteries.
Triglycerides are fats that circulate in your blood. When you eat more calories than you burn — particularly from refined carbohydrates and sugar — your liver converts the excess into triglycerides and releases them into the bloodstream. Chronically elevated triglycerides are one of the clearest signals that your metabolism is under strain.
WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN
- Below 1.7 mmol/L: Optimal. Your liver is handling dietary intake efficiently.
- 1.7–5.6 mmol/L: Borderline to high. Insulin resistance is likely developing.
- Above 5.6 mmol/L: High. Significant cardiovascular and pancreatic risk.
"Triglycerides are the metabolic canary in the coal mine. They rise years before blood sugar does."
THE TRIGLYCERIDE-TO-HDL RATIO
The single most useful calculation you can do with your blood results is divide your triglycerides by your HDL cholesterol. A ratio below 1.5 is excellent. Above 3.0 is a warning. Above 5.0 means you have significant insulin resistance, regardless of what your LDL looks like.
This ratio is a better predictor of cardiovascular events in middle-aged men than LDL alone — yet most GPs never mention it. You have to calculate it yourself from the numbers on your results sheet.
How to lower triglycerides
- Reduce refined carbohydrates and sugar. These are the primary dietary driver of elevated triglycerides.
- Increase omega-3 intake. Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) three times a week has a measurable effect on triglyceride levels within 8 weeks.
- Reduce alcohol. Even moderate alcohol consumption raises triglycerides significantly.
- Lose visceral fat. The fat around your organs is metabolically active and drives triglyceride production. Even a 5-10% reduction in body weight produces meaningful improvements.