Triglycerides are a type of fat that your body uses for energy. A high level, often alongside cholesterol changes, can raise your risk of heart disease. Here is how to read your number.
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. When you eat, your body converts calories it does not need right away into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells, then releases them for energy later. A triglycerides test is usually part of a lipid panel and is measured in mg/dL.
You will often be asked to fast before this test, because eating can raise triglycerides temporarily. A normal fasting level is generally under 150 mg/dL. Higher readings, especially together with high LDL or low HDL, add to your heart-disease risk picture. Your clinician reads the whole panel together.
High triglycerides can be linked to excess weight, physical inactivity, a diet high in refined carbohydrate or alcohol, type 2 diabetes, and some genetic conditions. Very high levels can also affect the pancreas. A single high reading is a signal to look further, not a diagnosis.
Upload your lipid panel and Mednex reads triglycerides alongside your cholesterol, in plain language, and tracks the trend for your next draw.
Decode my labsContent last reviewed 9 July 2026. Reference ranges vary by laboratory; always read your results against the range printed on your own report.
This page explains a common lab marker in general terms using public information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and other NIH sources. It is educational and is not a diagnosis or medical advice. Reference ranges differ between laboratories and the meaning of a result depends on your age, sex, medications, and overall health. Always discuss your own results with the clinician who ordered them.