How to deal with two health problems of high triglycerides – Cardiovascular and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases

Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat in the body exists and, along with cholesterol, make up the plasma lipids.

 

High triglycerides are a common characteristic of metabolic syndrome.

 

Excess of it or hypertriglyceridemia, has been linked to the occurrence of coronary artery disease in some people.

 

Many people rely on fish oil supplements to ensure a healthy daily omega-3 intake. But another omega-3 source, krill oil, may be even more beneficial for people with high triglycerides.

 

In a study, subjects given krill oil had a calculated reduction in serum triglyceride levels of 10.2%. The reduction in triglyceride levels was nearly twice that using fish oil supplements. This might be due to the fact that much of krill oil’s omega-3 content is in the form of phospholipids, which are a more efficient delivery form by influencing cholesterol processing in the liver and cholesterol absorption in the intestines.

In the group taking 4 grams per day of krill oil, the omega-3 index increased from 3.7 to 6.3%, this associated with a 90% reduced risk for cardiac arrest and an 80% reduced risk for sudden cardiac death.

Krill oil is the oil from a tiny, shrimp-like animal. Some brand name krill oil products indicate that they use Antarctic krill. This usually refers to the species of krill called Euphausia superba.

Besides linking to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, high triglycerides have also been implicated in another pervasive health problem - non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, the world's most prevalent cause of liver injury.

NAFLD affects up to one fourth of the US population and it is the build-up of extra fat in liver cells. It tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or who have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels, but it can occur in people with none of these risk factors.

 

According to a study, cinnamon may be a valuable supplement for people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It was found that subjects taking cinnamon demonstrated significant decreases in enzymes used as markers for liver function as well as blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation). The study authors concluded that “taking 1500 mg cinnamon daily may be effective in improving NAFLD characteristics.”

Although cinnamon is best known as a spice, it has been used traditionally as medicine throughout the world.

In fact, numerous studies show that cinnamon regulates blood sugar, making it a great choice for diabetics and hypoglycemics alike. It reduces LDL cholesterol levels and so it may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. And it has natural anti-infectious compounds.