High triglyerides in youth may lead to trouble later in life

Want to reduce your risk of heart disease? Keep your triglyceride levels down. Want to reduce your risk of rheumatoid arthritis? Again, keep your triglyceride levels down. A Dutch study revealed that people who suffer from late onset arthritis tended to have higher triglyceride levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol while in their youth.

Why this correlation may exist remains unknown, although some researchers speculate that it may have something to do with having a poor lipid profile, and how that may make someone more prone to the inflammation that ultimately causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Related studies on rheumatoid arthritis have shown that regular exercise can reduce a person's risk of developing this impairment by around 40 percent. Given the fact that triglycerides and HDL levels may be related to this form of arthritis, it's very possible that the exercise reduces their risk which, in turn, then effectively reduces the risk of the arthritis.