Why are my triglycerides too low?

Why are high triglycerides dangerous?

• I had high triglycerides (300-500) my grandfather says this can be dangerous if left untreated and not kept under control by diet and exercise but why are high triglycerides dangerous and what can happen if someone with this condition doesn't treat it? I know high cholesterol is bad but what is the big difference between high cholesterol and high triglycerides?

• Answer:

  Total cholesterol numbers really mean nothing. High triglyceride levels & low HDL levels are an indicator of plaque, glycation - the precursors to a heart attack and heart disease. Plaque build up in the arteries are more attributable to carb consumption than dietary fats, which seems to be the conclusion of the following study. Carb consumption raises triglycerides & VLDL (bad cholesterol). Fats raise the HDL (good cholesterol). study from the Oxford group examining the postprandial (after-eating) effects of a low-fat vs. low-carbohydrate diet. (Roberts R et al, 2008) Postprandial lipoproteins, you'd think, would be plentiful after ingesting a large quantity of fat, since fat must be absorbed via chylomicrons into the bloodstream. But it's carbohydrates that figure most prominently in determining the pattern and magnitude of postprandial triglycerides and lipoproteins. Much of this effect develops by way of de novo lipogenesis, the generation of new lipoproteins like VLDL after carbohydrate ingestion. http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/after-eating-effects-carbohydrates-vs.html There seems to be confusion about saturated fats (and naturally occurring trans fats) falling into the same realm as man made chemically altered fats (trans fats from hydrogenated fats) which they usually alter oils to make them stable like saturated fats because they don't become rancid the way unsaturated (vegetable oils) oils can. The link between saturated fats and heart health was based on faulty science & has been disproven. Dietary fat, whether saturated or not, is not a cause of obesity, heart disease, or any other chronic disease of civilization. Through their direct effects on insulin and blood sugar, refined carbohydrates, starches and sugars are the dietary cause of coronary heart disease and diabetes. The link between saturated fats and heart health was based on faulty science but very few are willing to contradict the long standing myth. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies and children, especially the development of the brain. Still, the American Heart Association recommends a low-cholesterol, lowfat diet for children & adults. 7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat 1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors Saturated fat in the diet reduces the levels of lipoprotein (a) abbreviated Lp(a)—that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. The only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat. Eating fats raises the level of HDL, the so-called good cholesterol. 2) Stronger bones Saturated fat is required for calcium to be incorporated into bone - According to expert in human health, Mary Enig, Ph.D., as much as 50 percent of the fats in the diet should be saturated fats. 3) Improved liver health Studies show that saturated fat encourages the liver cells to dump fat content. Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from the toxic insults of alcohol & medications and even to reverse the damage. 4) Healthy lungs For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant & potentially causes breathing difficulties, collapse of the airspaces & respiratory distress. 5) Healthy brain Your brain is mainly made of fat & cholesterol. Though highly unsaturated essential fatty acids found in cold-water fish (EPA & DHA) are important for brain & nerve function, most of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. The brain needs saturated fats to function optimally. 6) Proper nerve signaling Certain saturated fats, found in butter, lard, coconut oil, & palm oil, function directly as signaling messengers that influence the metabolism. Without the correct signals to tell the organs & glands what to do, the job gets done improperly. 7) Strong immune system Saturated fats found in butter & coconut oil (myristic acid & lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in the white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize & destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, & fungi. Myristic & lauric acid have potent germ-killing ability. We need dietary replenishment of them to keep the immune system vigilant against the development of cancerous cells & infectious invaders. http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/06/06/saturated-fat/