trigliserida

Trigliserida, or triglycerides in English, are esters formed from glycerol and three fatty acids. They are the most common form of stored fat in animals and a major component of dietary fat. Each triglyceride molecule consists of a glycerol backbone with three fatty acid chains linked by ester bonds, and the fatty acids vary in length and degree of unsaturation, producing saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated triglycerides.

In the body, triglycerides are stored in adipose tissue as an energy reserve and circulate in the blood attached to lipoproteins. After a meal, dietary triglycerides are emulsified by bile, digested by pancreatic lipase, and absorbed as fatty acids and monoacylglycerol, which are resynthesized into triglycerides in enterocytes and packaged into chylomicrons. In the bloodstream, lipoprotein lipase releases fatty acids from triglycerides in chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoproteins for use by tissues.

Serum triglyceride concentration is a standard clinical measurement. Normal fasting levels are below 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L). Higher values are associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and excessive alcohol intake, and very high triglycerides increase the risk of pancreatitis. Elevated triglycerides also contribute to cardiovascular risk, particularly when accompanied by high cholesterol and low HDL.

Management focuses on lifestyle changes such as weight loss, physical activity, limiting refined carbohydrates, and reducing alcohol intake. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish or supplements can lower triglycerides. In some cases, medications such as fibrates, certain statins, or prescription omega-3 formulations are used to control very high triglyceride levels.