Abstract
PurposeDiets high in saturated fat acids (SFA) have been linked with cardio-metabolic disease risk. The purpose of this study was to determine whether only 1–2 weeks of a high SFA diet could impact disease risk factors in overweight adults who normally eat a relatively low proportion of SFA (i.e., <40% of dietary fat).MethodsTwelve overweight (BMI: 27±1 kg/m2) young adults were studied before and after a 2-week diet that increased the proportion of SFA (<40% to 60% of dietary fat), while maintaining their daily intake of total fat, carbohydrate, protein, and calories. Insulin resistance, blood pressure, plasma markers of liver damage, total plasma cholesterol concentrations, and fatty acid profile within plasma and skeletal muscle lipid pools were assessed before and after the intervention.ResultsTotal plasma cholesterol concentration increased (148±5 vs. 164±8 mg/dl; P<0.05) after only one week, due exclusively to an increase in LDL-cholesterol (78±4 vs. 95±7 mg/dl; P<0.05). After two weeks, plasma aspartate amino transferase (AST) concentration increased (P<0.05) but we found no change in insulin resistance, or resting blood pressure. The diet increase the proportion of SFA in plasma (35±1% vs. 39±2%; P<0.05) and the intramyocellular triglyceride pool (32±1% vs. 37±1%; P<0.05) suggesting the fatty acids in these pools may readily exchange.ConclusionsAlthough blood lipids remain within normal clinical range, increasing saturated fat in diet for only 2 weeks raises plasma markers of cardiovascular risk (LDL-cholesterol) and liver damage (AST). In overweight, but healthy-young adults SFA accumulate in plasma and muscle after only 1–2 weeks of dietary increase.
Highlights
Dietary prescriptions aimed at reducing cardio-metabolic disease risk often recommend modifying the amount and “type” of dietary fat
Plasma aspartate amino transferase (AST) concentration increased (P
The diet increase the proportion of saturated fat acids (SFA) in plasma (35±1% vs. 39±2%; P
Summary
Dietary prescriptions aimed at reducing cardio-metabolic disease risk often recommend modifying the amount and “type” of dietary fat (i.e., saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat). We found that increasing the proportion of dietary saturated fats in subjects who typically ingest a diet relatively low in saturated fat, elevated plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration in just two weeks [8] These subjects did not become hyperlipidemic, and their LDL-C did not reach the level linked to cardiovascular disease risk after the two-week diet, the fact that the increases in plasma LDL-C were statistically significant in such a short time is alarming. A secondary aim of this study was to characterize changes in the fatty acid profile of different lipid species within plasma and skeletal muscle in response to short-term exposure (two weeks) of a high saturated fat diet
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