Can triglycerides be too low?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve got an excellent lipid profile with low cholesterol (LDL - 101, HDL - 72) but my triglycerides are really low - 13. The number kinda freaked out the nurse when she read it but the doctor hasn’t said anything. (my thyroid and iron are also on the very lowest boundry of normal) Most of the stuff on the internet lists healthy ranges as being either under 150 or from 40-150. I can’t find anything on really low triglyceride levels.

I’m guessing it’s not a concern since the doctor didn’t say anything about it but is it possible to have unheathily low triglyceride levels? Or is lower always better no matter how low? Anyone know low triglyceride levels can cause any symptoms or if any disease can cause low triglycerides. I’m really not trying to self-diagnose anything (I’m feeling great and disgustingly healthy); I’m just curious.

2

If one is otherwise healthy, low triglycerides are nothing to worry about. There’s tremendous variability in triglyceride ranges in healthy people. Merely having a low triglyceride level is not in itself a marker for disease.

However, if one has got severe liver disease it could be a problem. It would indicate the liver is becoming non-functional. But if the liver was that non-functional, the patient generally knows it already, due to having yellow eyes, an enormous fluid-filled belly, terribly swollen lower extremeties, and a tendency to vomit or pass blood.

3

Thanks, Qagdop. Pretty sure I don’t have acute liver disease. :slight_smile: I figured it wasn’t an issue for most peope since the only links I could find for “hypotriglyceridemia” involved laboratory mice.

I did wonder (since I have only the sketchiest idea of what triglycerides do but I think they have something to do with energy) if having low triglycerides could explain why I seem to get wiped out faster during workouts than my team mates do. But I probably just need to tweak my training some…