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Health Check

Triglycerides – The most common type of fat in the blood

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in the blood, storing energy from food between meals. A triglycerides blood test is usually taken after fasting and is included in most broad health checks alongside cholesterol, LDL and HDL, since high levels raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.

What is Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are formed from the fat and carbohydrates we eat and are carried in the blood by lipoproteins before being stored in fatty tissue or used as fuel. Levels rise sharply after a meal and then fall over a few hours, which is why testing is usually done while fasting to give a stable, comparable value.

Why is Triglycerides measured in a health check?

Triglycerides are measured as part of the blood lipid profile to assess the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. High values are often seen together with low HDL and raised blood sugar, a pattern common with overweight, high alcohol intake, a sedentary lifestyle and early insulin resistance.

High and low values

High value: High triglycerides are often linked to overweight, high alcohol consumption, a lot of sugar and refined carbohydrates, insufficient exercise, diabetes or an inherited fat metabolism disorder. Markedly raised values can also increase the risk of pancreatitis and should always be assessed by a doctor.

Low value: Low triglycerides are generally considered favourable and rarely a cause for concern. Very low values can sometimes be seen with malnutrition or certain thyroid and liver conditions.

Reference ranges differ between laboratories, sexes and ages and are stated in your result. The information here does not replace medical assessment.

How are triglycerides measured in a health check?

Triglycerides are analysed from a standard venous blood sample and are normally part of the lipid panel taken during a health check alongside total cholesterol, LDL and HDL. Unlike several other markers that can be taken at any time of day, triglycerides are clearly sensitive to what you have recently eaten or drunk. A triglycerides blood test taken straight after a fatty or sugary meal can show a sharply raised value without reflecting the usual long-term level.

For this reason, fasting for roughly 9 to 12 hours before the test is usually recommended, often overnight, with water as the only exception. If the health check also includes fasting glucose, the same fasting rule applies to the whole sample, which is why an early morning appointment tends to be the most practical option. Heavy alcohol intake the evening before should be avoided, since alcohol quickly raises triglycerides and can give a misleading picture of the usual level.

What affects triglyceride levels the most?

Triglycerides are the lipid marker that swings fastest depending on lifestyle, which makes them both easily influenced and useful for tracking the effect of changes over time. Diet plays a central role: a lot of sugar, refined carbohydrates and alcohol are efficiently converted into triglycerides in the liver, while a diet richer in fibre, fish and unsaturated fat tends to lower the level. Regular physical activity, weight loss where relevant, and reduced alcohol intake are among the measures that usually give the clearest effect within a few weeks to months.

  • High alcohol consumption, even without daily intake
  • A lot of sugar, sweetened drinks and refined carbohydrates
  • Overweight, particularly abdominal fat
  • A sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity
  • Poorly controlled blood sugar in diabetes or prediabetes
  • Certain medications and an inherited tendency towards high blood lipids

How do triglycerides interact with cholesterol, LDL and HDL?

Triglycerides, together with total cholesterol, LDL and HDL, form what is usually called the blood lipid profile, and the four markers are always interpreted together rather than in isolation. A common pattern in overweight, sedentary individuals with early insulin resistance is raised triglycerides combined with low HDL, which together increase the risk of atherosclerosis more than either marker suggests on its own. Anyone wanting to read more about how LDL and HDL work and are interpreted can find a fuller explanation on the cholesterol page, where the cholesterol particles themselves are described in more detail.

Markedly raised triglycerides can also make calculated LDL, which in some laboratory methods is derived indirectly from the other blood lipids, less reliable. At very high levels, other measures such as ApoB are therefore sometimes used to get a more accurate picture of overall cardiovascular risk. A health check that includes the full lipid panel thus gives a more complete picture than measuring a single value alone.

How often should triglycerides be checked?

With normal values and no known risk factors, checking blood lipids every three to five years as part of a routine health check is usually enough, in line with how often blood lipids are generally followed up. With previously raised values, overweight, diabetes, high alcohol intake or a family history of cardiovascular disease, more frequent monitoring is reasonable, often yearly or according to a plan agreed with a healthcare provider. After lifestyle changes such as weight loss, reduced sugar intake or more exercise, it is common to recheck triglycerides after a few months to see whether the changes have had an effect, since this marker tends to respond relatively quickly compared with, for example, LDL.

Frequently asked questions about Triglycerides

Do you need to fast before a triglycerides blood test?

Yes, for the most reliable values fasting for around 9–12 hours is usually recommended, since triglycerides rise noticeably after a meal. If the test is part of a broader health check, the same fasting rule often applies to the whole sample.

What causes high triglycerides?

The most common causes are overweight, a lot of sugar and alcohol, a sedentary lifestyle, poorly controlled diabetes and genetic factors. Several of these often act together.

How are triglycerides related to cholesterol?

Triglycerides and cholesterol are both measured as part of the lipid profile but reflect different things: triglycerides are a form of stored energy, while cholesterol and its carriers LDL and HDL are covered in more detail on the cholesterol page. Together they give a fuller picture of cardiovascular risk than either alone.

Which health checks include triglycerides?

Triglycerides are included in Labkollen's broad health checks and in the packages focused on heart, vessels and blood lipids. All tests containing the marker are listed further down this page.

How quickly can triglycerides fall after a dietary change?

Unlike LDL, which often takes longer to shift, triglycerides can fall noticeably within just a few weeks of eating less sugar and alcohol, cutting refined carbohydrates and moving more. Many people see a clear difference at follow-up after two to three months.

Can alcohol the night before affect the result?

Yes, alcohol raises triglycerides relatively quickly and can produce a temporarily elevated value that does not reflect your usual level. It is therefore advisable to avoid alcohol the evening before a triglycerides blood test and instead take the sample on a day that represents a typical week.

Are high triglycerides more dangerous than high LDL?

They measure different things and should not be ranked directly against each other. High LDL contributes strongly to atherosclerosis over time, while markedly raised triglycerides can, beyond cardiovascular risk, also increase the risk of acute pancreatitis. In a health check, both are assessed together with HDL, blood pressure, blood sugar and other risk factors.

Health checks that include Triglycerides

Triglycerides is included in 6 of Labkollen's health checks. Analysis name in the result: Triglycerider.

  • Man +

    49 markers

    Labkollens mest omfattande kontroll för män – inklusive testosteron, PSA och hjärt-kärlmarkörer.

    2 095 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 1 676 kr

    See the test

  • Kvinna +

    44 markers

    Labkollens mest omfattande kontroll för kvinnor – inklusive järnstatus, sköldkörtel och hormoner.

    2 095 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 1 676 kr

    See the test

  • Standard

    37 markers

    Bred hälsokontroll över blodsocker, blodfetter, blodvärde, lever, njurar, sköldkörtel och vitaminer.

    1 795 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 1 436 kr

    See the test

  • Seniorkollen

    32 markers

    Anpassad kontroll för dig över 65 med fokus på hjärta, njurar, sköldkörtel och näringsstatus.

    1 299 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 1 039 kr

    See the test

  • Gravid

    26 markers

    Kontroll under graviditet – blodvärde, järn, sköldkörtel, vitaminer och hCG.

    1 099 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 879 kr

    See the test

  • Hjärtkollen

    22 markers

    Blodfetter, ApoB och blodsocker för att bedöma risk för hjärt-kärlsjukdom.

    399 krMed prenumeration (årlig hälsokontroll): 319 kr

    See the test

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Guides covering Triglycerides

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