To Your Health
December, 2016 (Vol. 10, Issue 12) |
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Show Your Pancreas Some Love
By Editorial Staff
You've probably heard of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol; the former is "good"
cholesterol, which helps remove LDL from the bloodstream. That's important because the latter, LDL, can contribute to plaque buildup in arteries, which can clog them and increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke. But that's not the entire cholesterol picture; there's a third element not as many people know about:
triglycerides.
Triglycerides are a type of fat that stores excess energy from your diet, and if your levels are too high, you can be at risk for health problems. One such problem is pancreatitis, an acute, potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas.
This association was revealed in a recent study; among more than 100,000 men and women tracked for seven years, pancreatitis risk increased as triglyceride levels increased. In fact, the risk increased by 130 percent when triglyceride levels rose to 177-265 milligrams per deciliter (normal blood concentration is 150 mg dl or lower).
Click here to visit the American Heart Association website and learn more about LDL / HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and how your cholesterol levels impact your overall health.
