Carbohydrate quantity and quality may influence plasma concentrations of some saturated fatty acids

1. In this randomized controlled trial, carbohydrate quantity and quality did not significantly change plasma concentrations of palmitate, a type of saturated fatty acid.

2. However, plasma concentrations of myristic acid were higher after consumption of a high-carbohydrate/high-sugar diet compared to a low-carbohydrate diet.

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent)

The concentration of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) that are synthesized endogenously from carbohydrates through the process of de novo lipogenesis (DNL) is known to be associated with cardiometabolic risk. However, how different dietary patterns of carbohydrates affect plasma concentrations of DNL SFAs, such as palmitate and myristic acid, has not been well studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of carbohydrate quantity and quality on plasma concentrations of SFAs.

This randomized control trial included 18 healthy Swedish adults (50% female). Participants aged 20-75 years who had a BMI between 20-38kg/m2 were included. Participants who had abnormal lab tests, weight changes ≥3kg during the 3 months preceding the study screening, or diabetes, cardiovascular, kidney, liver, or malignant disease were excluded. Each participant was randomized to one of three diets for 3 weeks: low-carbohydrate (LC), high-carbohydrate/high-fiber (HCF), and high-carbohydrate/high-sugar (HCS). This was followed by a 1-week washout period and then randomization into another of the three diets until all participants had undergone all study diets. The primary outcome was plasma concentrations of SFAs, including palmitate, in cholesterol ester (CE), phospholipid (PL), and triglyceride (TG) lipid fractions.

The results demonstrated that carbohydrate quantity and quality did not influence the levels of plasma palmitate in all three plasma lipid fractions. However, the concentration of the SFA myristate in CE and PL lipid fractions increased after the HCS diet compared to the LC and HCF diets. This study was limited by the relatively short intervention period of three weeks and the potential for deviation from the prescribed diets. Nonetheless, the study indicated that carbohydrate quantity and quality may impact some plasma SFA concentrations more than others.

Click to read the study in The Journal of Nutrition

Image: PD

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