On a fat free vegetarian diet with no alcohol or tobacco it is hard to identify why your triglyceride levels may have risen. If you had tests conducted at two different labs, then maybe the change in testing methods or equipment may account for the minimal change you have seen. Test results can vary across laboratories within a certain small range.
In the normal course the following are known to cause a rise in triglyceride levels:
- Triglyceride levels increase with age. This can account for long terms rise all other factors being constant
- Certain medications such as steroids, diuretics and oral contraceptives can affect triglyceride levels. If you have just started taking any of the above, maybe that is the cause
- Weight gain can lead to an increase in triglycerides. In the last month if you've gained some weight, maybe that accounts for the change, although it does seem unlikely on such a strict regimen.
- Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease can cause elevation of triglyceride levels as well. If you have any symptoms that indicate any of the above, please consult your health care giver.
If you have diabetes, and it isn't being controlled properly for any reason that can affect triglyceride levels, so please check if your blood sugar levels are under control. It is also a possibility that in trying to take a fat free diet, you are taking a diet that is too high in carbohydrates and that is affecting your sugar levels and therefore affecting your triglycerides. Please check up the low glycemic index diet, and try and incorporate more vegetarian protein sources into your diet, if that is the problem. A fat free diet may actually increase triglyceride levels according to some research as it may promote insulin resistance which in turn pushes up triglycerides. The key is to find a balance. To eat healthy fats and healthy carbs and get adequate protein.
answered by S E