How To Lower Triglycerides With Supplements

Updated on  February 7, 2023

Samrudha Salvi ‧ Co-Founder & Nutritionist (Stanford)


Samrudha is a certified nutritionist and also a Co-founder for Welcyon.com. He has also featured in many publications including CNBC, Entrepreneur amongst others. He brings more than 10 years of experience with him. 

This article discusses details on how to lower triglycerides with supplements, and other natural ways of lowering triglycerides such as the use of herbs that lower cholesterol. It also includes information on how to avoid triglyceride food.

What Are Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are important body fat as they function as the energy source for the body when you’re in between meals. However, the excess of blood triglycerides is an indication of health risk and should be lowered to avoid the risk of heart disease, diabetes or stroke. [1]

How to Reduce Triglyceride Level Naturally

It’s important to note that, triglycerides are basically fat present in the blood (lipid), and can be reduced by burning the body calorie level through exercise and a well-planned diet. Some of the natural ways of reducing triglycerides include:

1

Exercise: Engaging in more physical activities will greatly reduce the number of calories in the bloodstream, and as such lower the level of triglyceride in the body naturally, without the use of supplements. [2]

Obesity is another factor that contributes to high triglyceride level in the body. If you happen to be overweight, working on losing few pounds will go a long way in lowering the level of triglyceride in the bloodstream.

2

Eating Healthy: Choosing your diet carefully can help reduce the amount of triglyceride in the bloodstream. Reducing the amount of processed food and sugar would help lower the level of blood triglyceride. [3]

Diet high in carbohydrate can greatly increase the level of blood sugar and therefore influence the level of triglyceride in the body. Avoid loading up excessively on carbohydrate high food.

Food rich in omega-3-fatty acid, vegetables, and whole grain is good diet for lowering the triglyceride level.

3

Reduce Alcohol: Alcohol has been linked to increased level of triglyceride in most people. Reducing the intake of alcohol is another effective natural means of lowering triglyceride. [4]

4

Quit Smoking: Aside from the damage caused to the lungs, smoking also contributes to a high level of triglyceride. If you’re a smoker with a high level of triglyceride, one of the fastest way to reduce the triglyceride level is by quitting the smoking habit. [5]


How to Lower Triglycerides with Supplements

Adopting a healthy lifestyle takes time, and will not result in instant changes in the triglyceride blood level. If you need to lower triglyceride quickly for blood test, then the use of supplements becomes necessary.

Some supplements have been shown to help lower cholesterol and triglyceride level in the blood. They popularly known ones include: 

1

Omega-3-Fatty Acid: It is linked to lowering triglyceride level and blood pressure. There are several fish oil supplements with a rich amount of omega-3-fatty acid, and taking 3gram of such supplement daily can help lower triglyceride level. [6]

2

Vitamin B3 (Niacin): It’s a very important nutrient because it is needed by most of the body’s metabolic processes. High dose of Vitamin B3 supplement (Nicotinic acid) has been shown to lower cholesterol level by up to 20% and also improve brain function. Nicotinic acid should be taken with caution at the supplemental dosage, as it can pose some side effects. [7]

3

Fibrates: This refers to the class of drugs that lower blood triglyceride levels by reducing the production of VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein) and increasing the removal of triglyceride from the blood. [8]

Supplementing with fibrate is an effective way of lowering the triglyceride levels in the blood quickly. Common examples of fibrates include gemfibrozil and lofibra. They should equally be taken with caution as they come with side effects when used abusively.

4

Statin: A Prescription dose of stating has been shown to lower triglycerides level by up to 50%. Some common statin in the US includes simvastatin and atorvastatin. [9]

Using any of the supplements listed above can help lower triglycerides quickly for a blood test.

The use of supplement to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides level is not a new practice has it has been in use for years. It’s however important to consult your doctor on the appropriate supplement for you as well as the right dosage.


How Long Does It Take To Lower Triglycerides?

How Long Does It Take To Lower Triglycerides

This is a tricky question as there is no accurate answer to it. Depending on your approach and how determined you are, it might take between 1-5weeks to notice any difference in the level of blood triglyceride. The most important thing is to live a healthy lifestyle and watch your triglyceride level adjust to normal.

Causes, and Effect of High Triglycerides

Triglycerides are generally fats present in the blood. They serve as the energy reservoir for the body, when they’re within the normal range. High levels of triglycerides in the blood are associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. This is why it is very important to keep an eye on the level of triglyceride to ensure they’re within the normal range. [10]

The triglyceride level range in the body system is as follow:

Normal Triglyceride: Below 150mg/DL

Borderline High: 150-199mg/DL

High Triglyceride: 200-499mg/DL

Very High Triglyceride: Above 500mg/DL.

A simple lipid test would place you in one of the aforementioned categories. If you fall into the good category, such an individual is considered healthy.

Individuals in the borderline high category need to exercise the more and adopt a healthier lifestyle. At this stage, there is no need to take supplement or triglyceride reduction medication. Unless advised by your physician.

People in the high and very high category should consult their physician, as they adopt a healthy lifestyle and explore alternatives to lowering the blood triglyceride level.

Some of the major causes of high triglycerides are obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol, physical inactivity, and certain diseases such as; diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, hypothyroidism, and the use of some medications.

Some foods have been noted to cause high triglyceride; food with high carbohydrate content, high sugar content as well as food with saturated and trans fats, such as butter, meat, lard, and cheese are triglyceride food and should be avoided as much as possible.

Some foods that lower triglycerides include; tuna fish, sardine, brown bread, and a host of wheat whole products.


The effect of high triglyceride in the body is undesirable, therefore proper attention should be given to the food consumed in other to prevent the risk associated with high triglyceride.

If you currently fall into the category of those with a high level of triglyceride, the section of the article on how to lower triglycerides with supplements will be of great benefit as you adopt a healthier lifestyle.


References:

1. Mayo Clinic, Triglycerides: Why do they matter?, retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/triglycerides/art-20048186
2. Stephanie Watson, Renee A. Alli, MD, Will Exercise Really Lower Triglycerides?, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/move
3. Kim Chin, RD, Louisa Richards, How can diet help lower triglyceride levels?, retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-triglycerides-diet
4. Gina Garippo, William C. Lloyd III, MD, FACS, How Does Alcohol Affect Triglyceride Levels?, retrieved from https://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/cholesterol/how-does-alcohol-affect-triglyceride-levels
5. W. Willett, C. H. Hennekens, W. Castelli, B. Rosner, D. Evans, J. Taylor, E. H. Kass, Effects of cigarette smoking on fasting triglyceride, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol in women, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6829404/
6. Mayo Clinic, Fish oil, retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-fish-oil/art-20364810
7. WebMD, Niacin (Vitamin B3), retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-niacin
8. Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, David Zieve, MD, MHA, Fibrates, retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000789.htm
9. H. N. Ginsberg, Effects of statins on triglyceride metabolism, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9526811/
10. Gregory Curfman, MD, A promising new treatment for high triglycerides, retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/a-promising-new-treatment-for-high-triglycerides-201507298160


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