Triglycerides vs. Cholesterol: How Are They Different and How Are They the Same?

Blood tests that measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood are a routine part of most annual checkups. When levels of these substances are not optimal, they can raise your risk for cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and heart disease.

Learn more about triglycerides and cholesterol, including their differences and similarities, to help you understand their roles in cardiovascular health.

Cholesterol and triglycerides are both lipids, fats that are present in the body and in some foods.

Triglycerides are found in fats such as oil and butter. When your body has more calories than it needs at any given time, it changes them into triglycerides, which are stored in fat cells.

"Foods that lead to quickly available energy, particularly simple, carbohydrate-rich foods, may result in higher triglyceride levels, especially in susceptible individuals, such as those with obesity or type 2 diabetes," Dr. Milks says.

The link between high cholesterol and heart disease is well established, and research on triglycerides is now bringing new insights.

• Atherosclerosis
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Coronary heart disease
• Angina
• Stroke
• Heart attack

• Atherosclerosis

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• Heart attack
• Heart failure

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• Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas

Here are some things that triglycerides and cholesterol have in common.

Too Much of Either Isn't Good for Your Health

Triglycerides and cholesterol are both necessary for a well-functioning body when they are at healthy levels. When the levels are too high, they pose health risks.

"Triglyceride elevations are known to be associated with heart and vascular disease risk, although the relationship is not the same as with cholesterol," Milks says.

Both Can Be Checked With a Blood Test

Both Are Treated in a Similar Way

Although there are similarities between triglycerides and cholesterol, they are not the same. Here are some fundamental differences.

Triglycerides and Cholesterol Are Produced Differently

They Serve Different Purposes in the Body

While the primary function of triglycerides is to give your body energy and store unused calories for later, cholesterol helps your body build cells and make hormones, vitamin D, and bile to break down the foods you eat.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend the following dietary and lifestyle approaches to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

• Eat a heart-healthy diet. This can mean adopting the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan, the Mediterranean diet, or simply tweaking your diet to include more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nuts, and fewer refined carbs (like sugary desserts), fatty meats, and dairy products.

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  Other good steps are to limit salt and trans- and saturated fats to protect your heart’s health.

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• Exercise regularly. Studies show that engaging in physical activity can lower "bad" cholesterol levels (along with total cholesterol and triglycerides) and increase "good" cholesterol.

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  Aim for about 30 minutes of exercise a day, and make sure you incorporate resistance training into your workouts.

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• Adopt heart-healthy habits. Get enough sleep (7 to 9 hours a night), quit smoking or don’t start, limit your alcohol intake, manage your stress levels, and maintain a healthy weight.

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Medication for Maintaining Healthy Triglycerides and Cholesterol Levels

• Statins, the most common type of medication for maintaining healthy blood levels
• Mipomersen, ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, lomitapide, or other drugs that help improve high cholesterol levels in familial hypercholesterolemia, a type of high cholesterol that runs in families
• Bile acid sequestrants, which stop your body from absorbing bile acids (which, in turn, help you digest fats and oils)
• PCSK9 inhibitors, injectable drugs that help your liver clear out the "bad" cholesterol in your blood

When to See a Healthcare Professional About Your Cholesterol Levels

• A family history of heart disease
• High blood pressure or diabetes
• Older age
• Smoking

• Triglycerides and cholesterol are both necessary components of the blood, but they can reach unhealthy levels and become risk factors for diseases that affect heart health.
• A healthy diet, regular exercise, and other heart-healthy lifestyle habits can go a long way to keep your cardiovascular risk low.
• Have your cholesterol and triglyceride levels checked every four to six years if you’re 20 or older. If you have heart disease or are at risk for developing it, speak to your healthcare provider about how often you’ll need to have these tested.