Nutrition in lipid disorders.
When various fats and oils are given to humans, marked differences in the concentrations of serum lipids and lipoproteins will be observed. Relative to dietary carbohydrates, lauric, myristic and palmitic acid, which are saturated fatty acids, but also trans fatty acids from hydrogenated fats elevate the serum total and LDL cholesterol level. Saturated fatty acids with less than 12 carbon atoms or with 18 carbon atoms-stearic acid-have little effect on the serum cholesterol level. This is also true for oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. Replacement of linoleic acid for carbohydrates leads to slightly lower LDL cholesterol levels; however, recent studies suggest that this effect is less than predicted by studies performed in the early sixties. Substitution of carbohydrates by fat will increase the level of HDL cholesterol but decrease that of fasting serum triglyceride. Trans fatty acids, though, are an exception and lower the level of HDL cholesterol relative to other fatty acids. The fish oils may have a small LDL-cholesterol-elevating effect in hypertriglyceridemic patients but have a very specific triglyceride-lowering effect.
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Department of Human Biology, Limburg University, Maastricht.
D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000178:diet therapy*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D002784:Cholesterol