A guide to lowering Triglycerides.
The optimal level of triglycerides in your blood would be under 100mg/dL.
Supplements:
Niacin:
Lowers Cholesterol, increases HDL, Significantly lowers Triglycerides.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids:
According to a publication by P.K. Reissell's group at Harvard in 1966, it was clearly established that Omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamin C, combined with a low carbohydrate diet, can dramatically reduce your triglyceride levels. Omega 3 fatty acids can help with cholesterol as well.
Fish oil has been shown to reduce high levels of triglycerides by an average of 35%. Fish oil does not appear to reduce cholesterol to that extent, but does offer benefits when consumed as part of an integrated therapy.
http://www.healthy-h...glycerides.html
Pantethine (dimeric form of vitamin B5)
For dietary supplements the evidence is relatively strong; in multiple clinical trials of patients with elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol were decreased by 12%, triglycerides decreased by 18%, and HDL cholesterol was increased by 9%. These clinical trials were conducted with daily intakes ranging from 600 to 1200 mg/day. Within this dose range there is no evidence of a dose-effect relationship, i.e. changes in lipid concentrations overlapped across the range of doses. Direct dose-response evidence is not available because no trial tested more than one dose. A few trials tested 300 mg/day with more modest but still statistically significant results. -Thanks BrainEngineer
Green Tea
Additionally, some very exciting results were found when rats were fed 2.5% green tea leaves in their diet. The experimental group showed a drop in total cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, and triglycerides. The body weight of green tea-fed rats was 10 to 18% lower than that of rats not consuming green tea. In addition, the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and of anticarcinogenic phase-II enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST), were significantly higher in the green tea group, as was the glutathione level in the liver. There was no liver or kidney toxicity. Thus, the study demonstrated combined cardiovascular and anticancer effects of green tea.-Thanks Wayside
http://www.lef.org/p.../prtcl-032b.htm
Artichoke Leaf Extract
The study by Fintelmann demonstrated a significant reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in spite of the relatively short duration of the study (6 weeks). On an average, there was an 11.5% reduction in serum cholesterol from 264 mg/dL initially to 234 mg/dL. Serum triglycerides were similarly reduced from 215 mg/dL initially to 188 mg/dL, corresponding to a decrease of 12.5%. -Thanks Wayside
http://www.lef.org/p...rtcl-032a.shtml
Garlic Powder
Pros:
A survey of 7 out of 8 studies on garlic showed that dosages of between 600 to 900 mg of garlic powder (Allium sativum L.) produced a 5 to 20% reduction in cholesterol and triglycerides. (Fortschr. Med. (Germany) 1990, 108[36]:49-54). Other studies have shown that much higher doses of garlic were required for cholesterol reduction.
Cons:
We even looked separately at the participants with the highest vs. the lowest LDL cholesterol levels at the start of the study, and the results were identical," Gardner said. "Garlic just didn't work." -Thanks Thymeless
http://www.lef.org/p.../prtcl-032b.htm http://www.scienceda...70227105917.htm
Curcumin
Curcumin is the principal curcuminoid of the Indian curry spice turmeric. Significant decrease in blood triglyceride and phospholipids was also brought about by dietary curcumin in diabetic rats. This product seems to be more of a magic bullet for lowering cholesterol, but may help with triglycerides as well. It also may have some anti-cancerous properties.
http://www.lef.org/p.../prtcl-032b.htm and wiki
Gugulipid
Pros:
A placebo-controlled trial of 40 patients with high blood-fat levels showed a serum cholesterol reduction of 21.75%, with triglycerides being reduced by 27.1% in only 3 weeks, and after continuing the study for 16 weeks it was learned that HDL cholesterol was increased by 35.8% (Journal of Associated Physicians-India, 1989, 37[5]:328).-Thanks Wayside
Cons:
A larger study was done which was unable to reproduce the effects of the first smaller study. In fact, It found Gugulipids may increase LDL cholesterol.
http://www.lef.org/p.../prtcl-032b.htm http://jama.ama-assn...tract/290/6/765
Statins:
They function by blocking the activity of HMG-CoA reductase enzyme which controls the rate at which the body produces cholesterol. They lower Cholesterol, increase HDL a little, lower Triglycerides significantly.
Excercise:
Duh.
Healthy diet:
Low carbohydrate diet.
The most important step to take is to lower your carbohydrate intake. All of the most popular diets today - Atkins, South Beach, Zone, etc. are all based on a low carbohydrate diet, because it is an increase in carbs that triggers the conversion of glucose to triglycerides (fats).
http://www.healthy-h...glycerides.html
Avoid Alcohol and Sugars:
They increase triglyceride production. Particularly consider that fructose (even straight from the fruit) can only be processed @ 50mg/ few hours by the liver, the remainder goes into triglyceride storage. -Thanks MaxWatt
Any posts with additional content will be added with a credit to the author in this first post.
Edited by lucid, 27 March 2007 - 08:36 PM.
