Do High Levels of Triglycerides Play a Role in Diabetes and Heart Disease?

Keeping a close watch on your triglycerides and fatty acids can possibly reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

If a person is obese or if a person does not have enough insulin producing cells in their body there is a good chance that triglycerides are at a higher level than needed. When insulin levels are not correct then fat cells begin to put a larger amount of triglycerides (fatty acids) into the bloodstream. This process creates high cholesterol. We all know by now that high cholesterol is bad for us, but what about high triglycerides?

Researchers are studying whether or not triglycerides have any part in causing heart disease, and are focusing heavily on the areas of insulin resistance and heart disease associated with diabetes.

Triglycerides are a form of fat that is found in the blood. When a person is insulin resistant this person has a much higher chance of contracting heart disease that is onset by diabetes. This is medically referred to as Type 2 diabetes.

The amount of fat that a person consumes on a day to day basis stays put in the fat cells. These are the triglycerides. The triglycerides stay in the blood until they are needed in the muscles for energy. Diabetes research has found that triglycerides and fatty acids are the main providers which can begin the onset to diabetes after damage is done to the beta cells. Beta cells produce insulin through the body. The role triglycerides have in the cause of diabetes is linked to that fact that blood vessels are more easily damaged from fatty acids when the body is already insulin resistant.

High triglyceride count (blood sugar) along with the fatty acids will cause the heart to make extra scar tissue which will keep the heart from expanding in and out as it should. The heart is one organ that runs mainly on fat and not sugar. So the heart of a person with diabetes can have more fat in them causing the heart not to function properly. This is why people with diabetes tend to develop a heart condition called cardiomyopathy.

Any person with diabetes needs to keep a close eye on their triglyceride levels. The normal level needs be below 200mg/DL. A count of 200-400mg/dl is border line to be diabetic. High counts are 400-1000mg/DL. Anything that is over 1000mg/DL is the more serious and dangerous level.

Whether a person has diabetes or not it's a good idea to keep a close watch on triglyceride levels.

Sources:
www.remedylife.com
www.webmd.com