A triglycerides blood test measures a type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy storage.
Triglycerides come from:
Calories you eat but don’t immediately use
Sugar and refined carbohydrates
Alcohol
This test is usually part of a lipid panel.
This test looks at the amount of triglycerides circulating in your bloodstream.
Triglycerides:
Store unused energy
Rise after eating
Are closely tied to diet and metabolism
Doctors usually interpret triglycerides together with cholesterol levels.
Triglyceride levels are often grouped as:
Normal
Borderline
High
Very high
Your lab report will show your exact number and reference ranges.
High triglycerides may be caused by:
High sugar or carbohydrate intake
Alcohol use
Weight gain
Insulin resistance or diabetes
Certain medications
A high result does not mean immediate danger, especially if mild.
Low triglyceride levels are usually not concerning.
They may be seen with:
Fasting
Weight loss
Certain medications
Low levels rarely need treatment.
Triglycerides can change due to:
Eating before the test
Recent illness
Alcohol intake
Weight changes
Lab timing
This is why fasting is sometimes recommended.
Doctors may repeat this test:
If levels are high
When monitoring diet or medication changes
As part of routine heart health checks
Long-term trends matter more than one reading.
Triglycerides are very responsive to lifestyle changes.
Many people lower triglycerides with small, steady adjustments.
Triglycerides reflect how your body stores and uses energy from food.
Most abnormal results are manageable, explainable, and improve over time.
You may want to read:
Cholesterol Blood Test Explained
LDL & HDL Cholesterol Explained
Lipid Panel Overview
You can also use the navigation bar above to explore other blood test results.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk with a healthcare professional about your results.