A new study suggests that level of triglyceride in the blood may help predict heart attack risk as well as other more well-known blood fats such as LDL and HDL cholesterol. High triglycerides alone increased the risk of heart attack nearly three-fold, according to a report in the current issue of Circulation. And people with the highest ratio of triglycerides to HDL -- the "good" cholesterol -- had 16 times the risk of heart attack as those with the lowest ratio of triglycerides to HDL in the study of 340 heart attack patients and 340 of their healthy, same age counterparts. The ratio of triglycerides to HDL was the strongest predictor of a heart attack, even more accurate than the LDL/HDL ratio," reported Harvard lead study author.

Triglycerides, a mixture of fatty acids and glycerol that make up the principle fats in the blood, bind to carrier proteins, forming compounds known as lipoproteins. Other types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol, such as LDL and HDL, are known to be related to the risk of heart disease because of their propensity to deposit -- or not deposit -- fat in coronary arteries. However, it has not been clear if triglyceride level could predict heart attack risk, despite years of research.

Circulation 1997;96:2520-2525 (FREE Full Text Reference article)

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

This is especially encouraging news as elevated triglyceride levels are one of the simplest conditions to treat naturally. The restricted carbohydrate diet discussed in Protein Power by Eades will normalize triglyceride levels with most people within weeks or even days. I have seen levels above 1000 normal within day in compliant patients.