Triglycerides and Diabetes

Diabetes is a health condition, which is characterized by abnormally high glucose levels in the blood. Carbohydrates in your diet are converted into glucose (blood sugar), which is used by your cells as energy to carry out activities. Normally, your body uses insulin produced by the pancreas to help the body to use glucose. If the body unable to produce or use insulin due to some problem, the level of blood sugar increases. This may lead to the occurrence of diabetes.

Triglycerides, sometimes also referred to as 'ugly fats', are fats that are derived from the diet and from carbohydrates in the body to fulfill your energy requirements. After a meal, when the body has fulfilled its present needs of energy, the excess of these fats are stored in adipose tissues for later use. In addition, they are present in the blood. The excess amount of these may get deposited on the inner walls of the blood vessels, and may lead to various kinds of heart diseases and stroke. Therefore, 150 mg/dl or more of triglyceride in the blood is considered risky, and is termed as hypertriglyceridemia.

The exact relationship and the interaction between the two hasn't yet been established. Some researchers believe that excess triglycerides increases the chances of insulin resistance leading to high glucose levels, and when the body is unable to use glucose effectively, it leads to diabetes.

On the other hand, diabetes may also affect the level of triglycerides. It is found that higher than normal range of fat may be a consequence of an untreated diabetes mellitus (Type 1 or juvenile diabetes). In this case, there is a loss of the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas due to autoimmune destruction. These beta cells are responsible for the production of insulin. Zero or low availability of insulin in the body results in high-glucose levels in the blood, which gets converted to fat.

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder, wherein the body is unable to use insulin to convert the blood glucose. The reason for this disability may be the resistance to insulin due to changes in the liver, muscle, or fat cells. In this situation, the fat cells start releasing free fatty acid into the blood, thereby affecting the response to insulin. The muscle cells are unable to use blood glucose due to the changes. The affected liver cells keep on producing glucose, which the body converts to fat in large quantities. Therefore, if your triglyceride levels are too high, then you may be at a risk of diabetes.

It is very important to maintain the proper levels of fat to avoid high glucose levels. You must also maintain your blood sugar in check in order to stop the triglyceride levels from rising. People who experience the symptoms of high-blood sugar such as increased urination, thirst, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, etc., should consult a doctor for proper diagnosis. The doctor may suggest you to go for an insulin resistance test, and depending on its result, may offer treatment for diabetes. He may also suggest lifestyle changes such as a low-carb diet and regular exercises to control the medical condition.

Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.