A patient seated in the chair before a blood draw
In person

Triglycerides

The main fat in your blood, measured from one fasting blood draw.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Blood draw
A standard blood draw at the lab.
Preparation
Fasting preferred
Fast 9 to 12 hours. Water is fine.
Results
1 to 2 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

Triglycerides are the main form of fat your body stores for energy, and they travel in your blood. Levels rise for hours after a meal, especially one high in fat, sugar, or alcohol, so this test needs a fast of 9 to 12 hours. Triglycerides are read with HDL and total cholesterol.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults who want to check blood fats as part of a heart or metabolic check-in, a yearly baseline, or to follow a past high result alongside cholesterol tests.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows the level of triglycerides in your blood after a fast, which can help you and a healthcare provider read heart and metabolic risk with your cholesterol results.

Triglycerides
Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your blood. Your body stores extra calories as triglycerides and uses them for energy between meals. The level rises after eating, so a fasting sample is the usual way to read it. It is checked alongside cholesterol in heart-risk conversations.
Why it’s measured: A blood fat read with cholesterol, usually measured after fasting.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. Fast 9 to 12 hours. Water is fine. Nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 1 to 2 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

Triglycerides are reported in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and compared with the lab’s reference range, shown on your report.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

Triglycerides can change with recent meals and alcohol, so review your result with a healthcare provider along with your other lipids.

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

Triglycerides rise after you eat and can stay higher for several hours. The lab asks for a fast of 9 to 12 hours when triglycerides are tested on their own, so the result reflects your baseline rather than your last meal. Water is fine.

If you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, ask your prescriber how to fast safely before your visit.

Recent meals, alcohol, and not fasting long enough can all raise a result. Triglycerides are also useful when looking at diabetes, kidney and liver conditions, and hormone disorders, which can affect blood fats. A healthcare provider reads your result in that context.

Triglycerides and cholesterol are both fats carried in the blood by lipoproteins. VLDL particles carry most of the triglycerides, while LDL and HDL carry more cholesterol. Read with HDL and total cholesterol, triglycerides add useful information about heart disease risk.

One result does not show why a level is high or low, and it does not diagnose heart or liver disease. Triglycerides can vary from one day to the next, so a healthcare provider may repeat the test or read it with other results before drawing conclusions.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.