- For most adults, a normal fasting triglyceride level is below 150 mg/dL, and a level under 100 mg/dL is considered optimal for heart health (Cleveland Clinic; American Heart Association).
- For children and teens ages 10 to 19, a triglyceride level below 90 mg/dL is normal, while 90 to 129 mg/dL is borderline and 130 mg/dL or higher is high (Cleveland Clinic; NCBI Endotext).
- Triglycerides tend to climb from young adulthood and peak in the 40s and 50s, with men typically running higher than women until women catch up after menopause (CDC NCHS).
Part of our Lipid Panel guide.
What is a normal triglycerides level?
A normal fasting triglyceride level for adults is below 150 mg/dL, and a reading under 100 mg/dL is considered optimal (Cleveland Clinic). Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your blood, and your body stores unused calories as triglycerides to use for energy later. Most clinicians use the U.S. national cutoffs from the National Cholesterol Education Program to read a fasting lipid panel.
Here is how adult fasting triglycerides are classified:
- Normal: below 150 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very high: 500 mg/dL or higher
These thresholds come from the same guideline framework used by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and Cleveland Clinic. They apply to a fasting sample, usually drawn after 9 to 12 hours without food. Note that the cutoffs do not change with age for adults, but typical levels do shift across the lifespan, which is why age and sex context matters.
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Triglycerides normal range by age
The official cutoff for “high” triglycerides does not move with age, but real-world levels do. For adults the normal target stays below 150 mg/dL, while children and teens are judged against lower, age-specific percentile values, where below 90 mg/dL is normal for ages 10 to 19 (Cleveland Clinic; NCBI Endotext). The table below pairs the standard guideline cutoffs with measured percentile values from U.S. pediatric data so you can see both the rule and the typical picture.
| Age group | Normal (target) | Borderline / elevated | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children 0 to 9 years | Below 75 mg/dL | 75 to 99 mg/dL | 100 mg/dL or higher |
| Children and teens 10 to 19 years | Below 90 mg/dL | 90 to 129 mg/dL | 130 mg/dL or higher |
| Adults 20 years and older | Below 150 mg/dL (optimal under 100) | 150 to 199 mg/dL | 200 mg/dL or higher |
The pediatric cutoffs come from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute expert panel and are reproduced in NCBI Endotext. As a reference for what is typical rather than abnormal, U.S. percentile data show median (50th percentile) fasting triglycerides rising with age in childhood: about 48 mg/dL for boys and 57 mg/dL for girls ages 5 to 9, and about 68 mg/dL for boys and 64 mg/dL for girls ages 15 to 19 (NCBI Endotext).
How does sex change the range?
The numeric cutoffs are the same for men and women, but average levels differ, with men generally running higher than women through midlife, roughly between ages 40 and 59 (CDC NCHS). One commonly cited working range puts typical adult men around 40 to 160 mg/dL and women around 35 to 135 mg/dL, reflecting that women tend to sit a little lower for much of adult life.
This gap is not fixed. In the youngest children, girls often show slightly higher values than boys. For example, at the 95th percentile for ages 5 to 9, girls reach about 120 mg/dL versus 85 mg/dL for boys (NCBI Endotext). By adolescence and early adulthood, males pull ahead. Then the pattern shifts again later in life: after menopause, women’s triglycerides commonly rise and can approach or match men’s, partly due to the drop in estrogen. Because of these moving parts, your clinician reads your number against your age, sex, and overall cardiovascular risk rather than a single fixed line.
What makes triglycerides rise or fall with age?
Triglycerides tend to drift upward from young adulthood and peak in the 40s and 50s before leveling off or easing slightly in older age (CDC NCHS). The main drivers are metabolic and behavioral rather than aging itself, which is why two people the same age can have very different numbers.
Key factors that push triglycerides up include:
- Diet: excess refined carbohydrates, sugar, and alcohol raise triglycerides quickly (NHLBI).
- Weight and activity: carrying extra weight and low physical activity both increase levels.
- Insulin resistance: prediabetes and type 2 diabetes commonly elevate triglycerides.
- Hormones: the menopausal estrogen decline lifts women’s levels.
- Medications and conditions: some drugs, an underactive thyroid, and kidney disease can raise them.
Factors that lower triglycerides include losing excess weight, cutting added sugar and alcohol, regular aerobic exercise, and choosing unsaturated fats and fiber. Because lifestyle moves the number so much, a high reading at any age is often partly reversible.
When is an out-of-range result a concern?
A fasting triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher warrants attention, and a level at or above 500 mg/dL is a medical concern that needs prompt care because it raises the risk of acute pancreatitis (Cleveland Clinic; NHLBI). High triglycerides are also linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, especially when paired with low HDL (“good”) cholesterol or high LDL.
Context decides how worried to be. A single borderline reading after a heavy meal or a few drinks is not the same as a repeated high fasting result. Your clinician will usually confirm with a repeat fasting test and look at the full lipid panel, your blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, and family history. Talk to a healthcare professional promptly if your fasting triglycerides are 200 mg/dL or higher, if you have diabetes or known heart disease, or if any reading reaches 500 mg/dL. A child or teen with a level at or above the age cutoff (100 mg/dL under age 10, or 130 mg/dL ages 10 to 19) should also be evaluated (NCBI Endotext).
Frequently asked questions
Is 150 triglycerides normal?
A fasting triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL sits right at the borderline. Below 150 mg/dL is normal, and 150 to 199 mg/dL is borderline high (Cleveland Clinic). At exactly 150, most clinicians treat it as a nudge to review diet, alcohol, weight, and activity, then recheck.
What is a good triglyceride level by age?
For adults of any age, below 150 mg/dL is normal and under 100 mg/dL is optimal. For children under 10, aim below 75 mg/dL, and for ages 10 to 19, below 90 mg/dL (Cleveland Clinic; NCBI Endotext). Cutoffs do not change for adults by decade.
Do triglycerides naturally increase with age?
Yes. On average, triglycerides rise from young adulthood, peak in the 40s and 50s, then often stabilize or dip slightly in older age (CDC NCHS). The rise is driven mostly by weight, diet, and insulin resistance, so it is partly preventable.
Are triglycerides different for men and women?
The cutoffs are identical, but typical levels differ. Men usually run higher than women in midlife, roughly ages 40 to 59 (CDC NCHS). After menopause, women’s triglycerides tend to rise and can catch up to men’s because estrogen drops.
Do I need to fast for a triglyceride test?
Triglycerides are traditionally measured after 9 to 12 hours of fasting because food temporarily raises them (Cleveland Clinic). Some newer guidance accepts non-fasting panels for routine screening, but follow the specific instructions your clinician or lab gives you.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic, Triglycerides: Levels and Normal Range
- NCBI Endotext, Triglyceride Levels for Males and Females 5 to 19 Years of Age
- NHLBI, NIH, High Blood Triglycerides
- CDC NCHS Data Brief, Trends in Elevated Triglyceride in Adults
- American Heart Association, Triglycerides
This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. It cannot diagnose or treat you and does not replace your clinician. Always discuss your lab results and any health decisions with a qualified healthcare professional.
