Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. Your body uses them for energy. You need some triglycerides for good health. But high triglycerides might raise your risk of heart disease and may be a sign of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is the combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, too much fat around the waist, low HDL (good) cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Metabolic syndrome increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. A blood test that measures your cholesterol also measures your triglycerides. For a general idea about your triglycerides level, compare your test results to the following: 1  Normal is less than 150. 2  Borderline-high is 150 to 199.