Lipemia Interference
What is Lipemia Interference?
Lipemia interference happens when your blood has very high levels of fats called triglycerides. These fats make your blood plasma appear milky or cloudy instead of clear. This cloudiness can affect the accuracy of certain blood tests.
When lab machines analyze cloudy blood, the light they use to measure different markers gets scattered by the fat particles. This scattering can cause false readings on some tests, particularly those that measure red blood cell characteristics. The most common false result is an artificially high reading for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration, or MCHC.
Lipemia interference is not a disease itself. It is a technical problem that happens during lab testing when triglyceride levels exceed 400 mg/dL. Understanding this interference helps you and your doctor interpret test results correctly and address the underlying high triglycerides.
Symptoms
- Milky or cloudy appearance of blood plasma
- Falsely elevated MCHC readings on blood tests
- Inaccurate hemoglobin measurements
- Visible white layer on top of blood sample tube
- Symptoms related to very high triglycerides, such as abdominal pain
- Yellowish fatty deposits under the skin in severe cases
- Pancreatitis symptoms when triglycerides exceed 1,000 mg/dL
Many people with lipemia interference have no obvious symptoms. The cloudiness is often discovered only when blood work is performed. However, the very high triglycerides causing the interference may produce symptoms of their own.
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Causes and risk factors
Lipemia interference occurs when triglyceride levels in your blood become severely elevated, typically above 400 mg/dL. The most common cause is eating a meal high in fat within 12 hours before your blood test. Other causes include poorly managed diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, certain medications like steroids or beta blockers, and genetic conditions that affect fat metabolism. Obesity and a diet very high in refined carbohydrates and sugars can also drive triglycerides to interfering levels.
Risk factors include having metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, or familial hypertriglyceridemia. Not fasting before a blood test is the most preventable cause. Most lipid testing requires an 8 to 12 hour fast to avoid this interference. When you eat, your body breaks down dietary fats into triglycerides, temporarily raising blood levels until your body processes them.
How it's diagnosed
Lipemia interference is identified when a lab technician visually inspects your blood sample and sees milky or cloudy plasma. The lab may report the interference as a note on your test results. To confirm the cause, your doctor will order a fasting lipid panel to measure your triglyceride levels directly. This test shows whether your triglycerides are elevated enough to cause optical interference.
Rite Aid offers testing that includes markers affected by lipemia interference. If your results show an unusually high MCHC or the lab notes lipemia, your doctor may ask you to repeat the test after fasting properly. Testing at one of our 2,000 Quest Diagnostics locations makes it easy to get accurate readings and monitor your triglyceride levels over time.
Treatment options
- Fast for 8 to 12 hours before blood tests to prevent food-related lipemia
- Follow a diet low in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fats
- Limit or eliminate alcohol, which raises triglycerides significantly
- Exercise regularly, aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week
- Maintain a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and physical activity
- Manage underlying conditions like diabetes and hypothyroidism with your doctor
- Take prescribed medications such as fibrates or omega-3 fatty acids if needed
- Review your medications with your doctor, as some can elevate triglycerides
- Repeat blood tests after fasting to get accurate baseline measurements
Concerned about Lipemia Interference? Get tested at Rite Aid.
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- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Lipemia interference happens when triglyceride levels exceed 400 mg/dL, making blood plasma appear cloudy. The fat particles scatter light in lab analyzers, causing false readings. Common causes include not fasting before a blood test, very high fat meals, poorly controlled diabetes, excessive alcohol use, and genetic conditions affecting fat metabolism.
Your lab report may include a note stating that lipemia was present in your sample. You might also see an unusually high MCHC result that does not match other red blood cell markers. Some labs will visually inspect samples and notify your doctor if the plasma appears milky or cloudy.
Lipemia interference itself is a lab issue, not a diagnosis. However, it indicates that your triglycerides are very high, which can increase your risk for heart disease and pancreatitis. Your doctor will want to investigate why your triglycerides are elevated and work with you to lower them through diet, lifestyle changes, or medication.
You should fast for 8 to 12 hours before most lipid testing and comprehensive panels. This means no food, only water during that time. Fasting allows your body to clear dietary fats from your bloodstream, preventing temporary lipemia interference and ensuring accurate triglyceride measurements.
Yes, lipemia can interfere with many blood tests that use optical measurement methods. These include hemoglobin, bilirubin, liver enzymes, and some electrolytes. The cloudy plasma scatters light, leading to falsely high or low readings depending on the specific test.
Normal fasting triglyceride levels are below 150 mg/dL. Borderline high is 150 to 199 mg/dL, high is 200 to 499 mg/dL, and very high is 500 mg/dL or above. Lipemia interference typically occurs when levels exceed 400 mg/dL, though visible cloudiness may appear at lower levels in some people.
Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates, sugars, and saturated fats. Limit or avoid alcohol completely. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. Add omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish like salmon or from supplements. These lifestyle changes can significantly lower triglycerides within weeks to months.
Yes, your doctor will likely ask you to repeat the test after proper fasting. This ensures accurate baseline readings for all markers that may have been affected. The repeat test will show your true values and help your doctor make appropriate treatment decisions.
Yes, if lifestyle changes are not enough, your doctor may prescribe fibrates, niacin, or prescription omega-3 fatty acids. These medications work through different mechanisms to lower triglyceride production or increase their clearance. Your doctor will choose the best option based on your specific situation and other health conditions.
Yes, if you have chronically elevated triglycerides from conditions like diabetes, genetic disorders, or metabolic syndrome, lipemia can occur even after fasting. In these cases, the interference indicates a persistent health issue that needs treatment, not just a temporary spike from recent eating.