A high-stearic acid diet does not impair glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in healthy women.
Results in epidemiological and experimental studies suggest that a diet rich in saturated fat may affect insulin sensitivity. However, no published data are available on the effect of stearic acid in this respect. Therefore, we examined the effects of a high-stearic acid diet and a high-oleic acid diet on glucose metabolism, serum lipids and lipoproteins, and blood coagulation factors in 15 healthy female subjects. Subjects followed the two experimental diets for 4 weeks according to a randomized crossover design. Both experimental diet periods were preceded by consumption of a baseline diet for 2 weeks. The diets provided 36% of energy (E%) as fat. In the experimental diets, 5 E% stearic or oleic acid was substituted for 5 E% of saturated fatty acids in the baseline diet. After the experimental diets, no differences were found in the insulin sensitivity index (mean+/-SEM, 5.4+/-1.9 v 5.2+/-1.6 x 10(-4) min(-1) x microU(-1) x mL(-1), nonsignificant [NS]), glucose effectiveness (0.026+/-0.006 v 0.026+/-0.003 min(-1), NS), or first-phase insulin reaction ([FPIR] 368+/-57 v 374+/-66 mU/L x min, NS). The concentration of serum lipids and lipoproteins and blood coagulation factors did not differ after the diet periods. In conclusion, a diet rich in stearic acid did not deteriorate glucose tolerance or insulin action in young healthy female subjects as compared with a diet rich in oleic acid.
Louheranta
A M
AM
Department of Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, Finland.
Turpeinen
A K
AK
Schwab
U S
US
Vidgren
H M
HM
Parviainen
M T
MT
Uusitupa
M I
MI
D000328:Adult; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000187:drug effects; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005227:Fatty Acids; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D013229:Stearic Acids