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Triglycerides
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"Triglycerides" is the chemical name for fat. Chemically, triglycerides have a three-carbon backbone (glycerol) to which are attached fatty acids, which are strings of carbon and hydrogen atoms, most of which will eventually be oxidized to carbon dioxide and water, producing energy in the process. When not being actively oxidized or metabolized, triglycerides are stored in adipose, or fatty tissue, for oxidation at a later time. High levels of triglycerides in the blood have been associated with increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. Triglycerides may be increased by heredity, abdominal obesity, resistance to insulin, diabetes, and certain medications. They may be decreased by weight loss, control of glucose in diabetes, decreased simple sugar intake in the diet, and increased activity.
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Triglycerides are a type of fat (or lipid) found in the blood that is produced by the body and ingested from food. They are measured as part of a standard lipid blood test. Elevated triglycerides are linked to serious illnesses, including heart disease, kidney disease and pancreatitis. Nearly 9 out of 10 doctors surveyed agreed that they are an independent risk factor for heart disease, as outlined by the National Cholesterol Education Program. So- called "good," or HDL cholesterol, and "bad," or LDL cholesterol are other types of lipids. The risk is a widespread matter of concern, with 100 million Americans living with unhealthy lipid levels, according to the American Heart Association.
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Triglycerides, as major components of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicrons, play an important role in metabolism as energy sources and transporters of dietary fat. They contain more than twice as much energy (9 kcal/g) as carbohydrates and proteins. In the intestine, triglycerides are split into glycerol and fatty acids (this process is called lipolysis) (with the help of lipases and bile secretions), which are then moved into the cells lining the intestines (absorptive enterocytes). The triglycerides are rebuilt in the enterocytes from their fragments and packaged together with cholesterol and proteins to form chylomicrons. These are excreted from the cells and collected by the lymph system and transported to the large vessels near the heart before being mixed into the blood. Various tissues can capture the chylomicrons, releasing the triglycerides to be used as a source of energy.
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Triglycerides vary in molecular composition according to the identities of the fatty acids used in their synthesis. Fatty acids that have been esterified to the glycerol moiety of the triglyceride may be unsaturated (containing double bonds) or saturated (containing no double bonds). The number of double bonds in the fatty acids affects the melting temperature of the triglyceride. Saturated fats have higher melting points and are often solids at room temperature. Unsaturated fats have lower melting points and are often liquids at room temperature. Although all triglycerides are correctly identified as fats, triglycerides with melting points below room temperature are ... known as oils.
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Triglycerides are dangerous because when you have excess fat in your body, your body does not receive the proper nutrients that it should from the food that you eat. The fat cells will absorb the nutrients instead of the active portion of your cells that could truly benefit from the vitamins and minerals. Triglycerides will ... cause potential blockages in your body,
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The study, conducted through Kaiser Permanente Colorado, involved 116 patients with coronary artery disease and triglycerides greater than 200 mg/dL, approximately 90 percent of whom were on statin drugs. Subjects were supplemented with either 1000 mg per day of DHA from Martek's life'sDHA(TM) or 1252 mg per day of a DHA/EPA (providing 1000 mg of DHA) combination from fish oil for eight weeks, and maintained statin dosage received prior to initiation of the study. The primary objective was to evaluate the change in triglycerides between the two groups at eight weeks. Triglycerides decreased by an average of 21.8 percent in the group taking Martek's life'sDHA(TM), and by an average of 18.3 percent in the DHA/EPA group (not significantly statistically different). A greater proportion of subjects in the algal DHA group achieved the triglyceride goal (less than 150 mg/dL) compared to the DHA/EPA group.
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Triglycerides