Triglyceride Lowering: What Works and What Doesn’t
When your triglyceride levels, a type of fat in your blood that stores excess energy from your diet. Also known as blood fats, they rise when you eat too many refined carbs, drink alcohol regularly, or don’t move enough. High levels don’t cause symptoms—but they quietly raise your risk of heart disease, pancreatitis, and metabolic syndrome. You don’t need a PhD to bring them down. You just need to know what actually moves the needle.
Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of healthy fat found in fish oil and flaxseeds. Also known as fish oil supplements, they’re one of the few things proven to slash triglycerides by 20–50% in people with very high levels. But not all supplements are equal. Prescription-grade omega-3s like Vascepa and Lovaza work better than over-the-counter brands. And if you’re on statins or blood thinners, talk to your doctor first—mixing them can be risky.
Fibrates, a class of drugs designed specifically to lower triglycerides. Also known as Tricor or Lopid, they’re often prescribed when lifestyle changes aren’t enough. But they’re not magic pills. They work best when paired with weight loss and cutting out sugar. And they don’t help much if your main problem is high LDL cholesterol—that’s where statins come in. Many people get stuck trying to fix everything at once, but triglyceride lowering is usually about fixing one thing at a time: sugar first, then alcohol, then meds if needed.
You’ll see a lot of advice online: eat more fiber, take cinnamon, try intermittent fasting. Some of it helps. But the strongest evidence points to just three things: cutting out added sugar, replacing refined carbs with whole foods, and getting at least 30 minutes of movement most days. A 2021 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who dropped sugary drinks and swapped white bread for oats saw triglycerides drop by 30% in just 8 weeks—without any meds.
And here’s the thing most people miss: triglycerides don’t drop because you ‘detox’ or ‘cleanse.’ They drop because you change what you eat and how you move. That’s it. No fancy teas, no miracle powders. Just real, daily choices. If you’re overweight, even losing 5–10% of your body weight can cut triglycerides in half. If you drink alcohol daily, cutting back—even just a few days a week—can make a bigger difference than any supplement.
The posts below cover what actually works, what doesn’t, and why some treatments backfire. You’ll find real talk about meds like niacin and statins, how salt substitutes can accidentally raise your triglycerides, and why some ‘healthy’ foods are secretly sugar bombs. There’s no fluff. Just clear, practical info from people who’ve seen what works in real life—not just in studies.
