Although a person’s body needs some triglycerides, high triglyceride levels can raise their risk of severe health complications. Examples of triglyceride-lowering drugs include niacin and fibrates.

Triglycerides are a type of fat in a person’s body. They come from the foods we eat. A person’s body converts calories it does not need immediately into triglycerides. It then stores and uses them later for energy.

Some triglycerides are important for good health. However, having high triglyceride levels (more than 200 milligrams per deciliter) in a person’s blood can raise their risk of several heart conditions. Triglycerides are different from cholesterol, which is a waxy, fat-like substance found in all body cells.

Several conditions, lifestyle factors, and some medications can raise triglyceride levels. Healthcare professionals may prescribe a person medication to control or lower them. Some lifestyle changes can also lower a person’s triglyceride levels.

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Many foods naturally or artificially contain niacin, also known as vitamin B3. The two main forms of niacin in supplements or medication are nicotinamide and nicotinic acid.

Niacin helps a person’s body turn food they eat into energy. It is important for the development and proper working of cells in the body. At prescription doses, it has several effects, including lowering triglycerides.

Healthcare professionals may prescribe niacin to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people with atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is when a person’s arteries become narrowed due to plaque in the artery walls, which makes it difficult for blood to flow through them.

However, niacin can interact with other medications and supplements, and higher doses can also cause side effects. As such, it is important to take niacin as a doctor prescribes. Healthcare professionals should always approve and supervise a person’s use of high niacin doses.

Fibrates are a type of medication known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor agonists. Healthcare professionals use them to treat people with higher than usual blood fat levels.

They lower a person’s triglyceride levels in several ways and have a mild effect on their cholesterol levels. Generic names for fibrates include:

  • gemfibrozil
  • fenofibrate
  • fenofibric acid

Healthcare professionals prescribe fibrate medication alongside dietary plan changes.

Icosapent ethyl (IPE) is the active ingredient in Vascepa. This is a prescription medication that healthcare professionals use to help lower blood triglycerides for adults, alongside diet changes, and help reduce the risk of heart conditions for people with certain risk factors, alongside statin medications.

They prescribe it to people along with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity. The IPE in Vascepa is a modified form of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid.

Dietary supplements and foods such as fish and flaxseed contain omega-3 fatty acids. They have several health benefits, including lowering triglyceride levels. However, omega-3 supplements may interact with some medications.

Healthcare professionals may prescribe concentrated omega-3 fatty acids in medication form to treat severe hypertriglyceridemia. These are different from omega-3 dietary supplements, which do not have approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to help treat high triglyceride levels.

In some countries, Volanesorsen is a medication for treating familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS) alongside a low-fat diet plan.

FCS is a rare genetic condition that causes people to have high triglyceride levels. Volanesorsen reduces triglycerides in a person’s body by blocking proteins that slow down how a person’s body breaks down fat.

As of 2018, the FDA has not approved Volanesorsen to treat FCS due to safety concerns. However, the European Medicines Agency has approved it for some people with FCS. The manufacturer of Volanesorsen has also funded long-term effectiveness and safety trials.

A person may be more at risk of high triglycerides due to their genetics. Scientists are investigating several gene therapy methods for lowering triglyceride levels. Gene therapy is a technique that modifies a person’s genes to treat conditions.

Lipoprotein lipase deficiency (LPL) is a rare inherited condition that can significantly raise a person’s triglyceride levels. Healthcare professionals usually treat this condition with specific dietary plans.

Lipoprotein lipase gene therapy is a new treatment for LPL, but it is not currently on the market due to low demand.

Some health conditions can raise a person’s risk of high triglyceride levels. These include:

Checking for and treating these conditions can help lower a person’s triglyceride levels. This helps to lower their risk of serious complications such as heart disease or stroke.

Lifestyle changes that can help a person lower their triglyceride levels include:

  • maintaining a medically recommended weight
  • taking part in regular physical activity
  • quitting or not smoking
  • reducing alcohol consumption or not consuming alcohol
  • eating more heart-healthy foods, including:
    • vegetables, such as leafy greens, broccoli, and carrots
    • fruits
    • whole grains such as plain oatmeal, brown rice, and wholegrain bread or tortillas
    • fat-free or low-fat dairy foods such as milk, cheese, or yogurt
    • protein-rich foods, including fish, lean meats, and eggs
  • eating more unsaturated fats, such as those found in vegetable oils and nuts
  • limiting intake of saturated fats such as butter, cheese, and fatty meats
  • limiting intake of:
    • sugar
    • refined foods
    • sodium and salt
  • managing stress
  • getting good quality sleep

Read on to learn more about lowering triglyceride levels.

Triglycerides are a type of fat that the body makes from the food a person eats. High triglyceride levels can raise a person’s risk of severe heart conditions. Several health conditions or a person’s genetics can increase their risk of high triglyceride levels.

Medications can lower a person’s triglyceride levels. However, some may interact with other medications or dietary supplements. Healthcare professionals often prescribe them together with lifestyle and diet changes that people can use to lower their triglyceride levels.