What is the relationship between triglyceride levels and thyroidism?

• A. Direct
• B. Inverse
• C. No relationship
• D. Cyclical

Answer: (B)

Thyroid hormones regulate how the body handles fats, including triglycerides. They boost enzymes that clear triglyceride-rich lipoproteins from the blood and promote fatty acid breakdown. When thyroid activity is high, this processing speeds up and triglyceride levels tend to decrease. When thyroid activity is low, clearance slows and triglycerides rise. So, triglyceride levels move in the opposite direction to thyroid activity—a clear inverse relationship. In practice, hypothyroidism often comes with higher triglycerides, while hyperthyroidism can lower them or keep them normal.