Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Medium- and Long-Chain Triacylglycerols Reduce Body Fat and Blood Triacylglycerols in Hypertriacylglycerolemic, Overweight but not Obese, Chinese Individuals

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Lipids

Abstract

In contrast to the consumption of long-chain triacylglycerols (LCT), consumption of medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) reduces the body fat and blood triacylglycerols (TAG) level in hypertriacylglycerolemic Chinese individuals. These responses may be affected by BMI because of obesity-induced insulin resistance. We aimed to compare the effects of consuming MLCT or LCT on reducing body fat and blood TAG level in hypertriacylglycerolemic Chinese subjects with different ranges of BMI. Employing a double-blind, randomized and controlled protocol, 101 hypertriacylglycerolemic subjects (including 67 men and 34 women) were randomly allocated to ingest 25–30 g/day MLCT or LCT oil as the only cooking oil for 8 consecutive weeks. Anthropometric measurements of body weight, BMI, body fat, WC, HC, blood biochemical variables, and subcutaneous fat area and visceral fat area in the abdomen were measured at week 0 and 8. As compared to subjects with BMI 24–28 kg/m2 in the LCT group, corresponding subjects in the MLCT group showed significantly greater decrease in body weight, BMI, body fat, WC, ratio of WC to HC, total fat area and subcutaneous fat area in the abdomen, as well as blood TAG and LDL-C levels at week 8. Based upon our results, consumption of MLCT oil may reduce body weight, body fat, and blood TAG and LDL-C levels in overweight hypertriacylglycerolemic Chinese subjects but may not induce these changes in normal or obese hypertriacylglycerolemic subjects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

BMI:

Body mass index

HC:

Hip circumference

HDL-C:

High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol

LCT:

Long-chain triacylglycerols

LDL-C:

Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol

MLCT:

Medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols

SFA:

Subcutaneous fat area

TAG:

Triacylglycerols

TFA:

Total fat area

VFA:

Visceral fat area

WC:

Waist circumference

WHR:

Ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference

References

  1. Chen CM, Zhao W, Yang Z, Zhai Y, Wu Y, Kong L (2008) The role of dietary factors in chronic disease control in China. Obes Rev 9:100–103

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhao W, Zhai Y, Hu J, Wang J, Yang Z, Kong L, Chen C (2008) Economic burden of obesity-related chronic diseases in Mainland China. Obes Rev 9(Suppl 1):62–67

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Yuan G, Al-Shali KZ, Hegele RA (2007) Hypertriglyceridemia: its etiology, effects and treatment. CMAJ 176:1113–1120

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhou B, Wu Y, Yang J, Li Y, Zhang H, Zhao L (2002) Overweight is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Chinese populations. Obes Rev 3:147–156

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Moussavi N, Gavino V, Receveur O (2008) Could the quality of dietary fat, and not just its quantity, be related to risk of obesity? Obes (Silver Spring) 16:7–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Babayan VK (1987) Medium chain triglycerides and structured lipids. Lipids 22:417–420

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hashim SA, Tantibhedyangkul P (1987) Medium chain triglyceride in early life: effects on growth of adipose tissue. Lipids 22:429–434

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Tsuji H, Kasai M, Takeuchi H, Nakamura M, Okazaki M, Kondo K (2001) Dietary medium-chain triacylglycerols suppress accumulation of body fat in a double-blind, controlled trial in healthy men and women. J Nutr 131:2853–2859

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Han JR, Deng B, Sun J, Chen CG, Corkey BE, Kirkland JL, Ma J, Guo W (2007) Effects of dietary medium-chain triglyceride on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in a group of moderately overweight free-living type 2 diabetic Chinese subjects. Metabolism 56:985–991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ogawa A, Nosaka N, Kasai M, Aoyama T, Okazaki M, Igarashi O, Kondo K (2007) Dietary medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols accelerate diet-induced thermogenesis in humans. J Oleo Sci 56:283–287

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Xue C, Liu Y, Wang J, Zhang R, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Zhang Y, Zheng Z, Yu X, Jing H, Nosaka N, Arai C, Kasai M, Aoyama T, Wu J (2009) Consumption of medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols decreases body fat and blood triglyceride in Chinese hypertriglyceridemic subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 63:879–886

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Westphal SA (2008) Obesity, abdominal obesity, and insulin resistance. Clin Cornerstone 9:23–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhou B, Cooperative Meta-analysis Group of China Obesity Task Force (2002) Predictive values of body mass index and waist circumference to risk factors of related disease in Chinese adult population. Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi 23:5–10

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Tokunaga K, Matsuzawa Y, Ishikawa K, Tarui S (1983) A novel technique for the determination of body fat by computed tomography. Int J Obes 7:437–445

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. St-Onge MP, Ross R, Parsons WD, Jones PJ (2003) Medium-chain triglycerides increase energy expenditure and decrease adiposity in overweight men. Obes Res 11:395–402

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Nosaka N, Maki H, Suzuki Y, Haruna H, Ohara A, Kasai M, Tsuji H, Aoyama T, Okazaki M, Igarashi O, Kondo K (2003) Effects of margarine containing medium-chain triacylglycerols on body fat reduction in humans. J Atheroscler Thromb 10:290–298

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kasai M, Nosaka N, Maki H, Negishi S, Aoyama T, Nakamura M, Suzuki Y, Tsuji H, Uto H, Okazaki M, Kondo K (2003) Effect of dietary medium- and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) on accumulation of body fat in healthy humans. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 12:151–160

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Yost TJ, Eckel RH (1989) Hypocaloric feeding in obese women: metabolic effects of medium-chain triglyceride substitution. Am J Clin Nutr 49:326–330

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Scalfi L, Coltorti A, Contaldo F (1991) Postprandial thermogenesis in lean and obese subjects after meals supplemented with medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides. Am J Clin Nutr 53:1130–1133

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Binnert C, Pachiaudi C, Beylot M, Hans D, Vandermander J, Chantre P, Riou JP, Laville M (1998) Influence of human obesity on the metabolic fate of dietary long- and medium-chain triacylglycerols. Am J Clin Nutr 67:595–601

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. St-Onge MP, Jones PJ (2003) Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 27:1565–1571

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Noguchi O, Takeuchi H, Kubota F, Tsuji H, Aoyama T (2002) Larger diet-induced thermogenesis and less body fat accumulation in rats fed medium-chain triacylglycerols than in those fed long-chain triacylglycerols. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 48:524–529

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rothwell NJ, Stock MJ (1987) Stimulation of thermogenesis and brown fat activity in rats fed medium chain triglyceride. Metabolism 36:128–130

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Baba N, Bracco EF, Hashim SA (1987) Role of brown adipose tissue in thermogenesis induced by overfeeding a diet containing medium chain triglyceride. Lipids 22:442–444

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Young JB, Walgren MC (1994) Differential effects of dietary fats on sympathetic nervous system activity in the rat. Metabolism 43:51–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hill JO, Peters JC, Swift LL, Yang D, Sharp T, Abumrad N, Greene HL (1990) Changes in blood lipids during six days of overfeeding with medium or long chain triglycerides. J Lipid Res 31:407–416

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Roynette CE, Rudkowska I, Nakhasi DK, Jones PJ (2007) Structured medium and long chain triglycerides show short-term increases in fat oxidation, but no changes in adiposity in men. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 18:298–305

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. St-Onge MP, Bourque C, Jones PJ, Ross R, Parsons WE (2003) Medium- versus long-chain triglycerides for 27 days increases fat oxidation and energy expenditure without resulting in changes in body composition in overweight women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 27:95–102

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Shinohara H, Wu J, Kasai M, Aoyama T (2006) Randomly interesterified triacylglycerol containing medium- and long-chain fatty acids stimulates fatty acid metabolism in white adipose tissue of rats. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 70:2919–2926

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kasai M, Maki H, Nosaka N, Aoyama T, Ooyama K, Uto H, Okazaki M, Igarashi O, Kondo K (2003) Effect of medium-chain triglycerides on the postprandial triglyceride concentration in healthy men. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 67:46–53

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Takeuchi H, Kasai M, Taguchi N, Tsuji H, Suzuki M (2002) Effect of triacylglycerols containing medium- and long-chain fatty acids on serum triacylglycerol levels and body fat in college athletes. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 48:109–114

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Takase S, Morimoto A, Nakanishi M, Muto Y (1977) Long-term effect of medium-chain triglyceride on hepatic enzymes catalyzing lipogenesis and cholesterogenesis in rats. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 23:43–51

    Google Scholar 

  33. Tsai YH, Park S, Kovacic J, Snook JT (1999) Mechanisms mediating lipoprotein responses to diets with medium-chain triglyceride and lauric acid. Lipids 34:895–905

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Cater NB, Heller HJ, Denke MA (1997) Comparison of the effects of medium-chain triacylglycerols, palm oil, and high oleic acid sunflower oil on plasma triacylglycerol fatty acids and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 65:41–45

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Temme EH, Mensink RP, Homstra G (1997) Effects of medium chain fatty acids (MCFA), myristic acid, and oleic acid on serum lipoproteins in healthy subjects. J Lipid Res 38:1746–1754

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Nisshin Oillio Company. Authors are grateful to Dr. Akira Seto and Ms. Kaori Nakajima for technical support. We also gratefully acknowledge the dedicated volunteers who participated in this project.

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, No 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China

    Yuehong Zhang, Yinghua Liu, Jin Wang, Rongxin Zhang, Hongjiang Jing, Xiaoming Yu, Yong Zhang, Qin Xu, Jieying Zhang, Zixin Zheng & Changyong Xue

  2. Central Research Laboratory, Nisshin Oillio Group, Yokosuka, Japan

    Naohisa Nosaka, Chie Arai, Michio Kasai, Toshiaki Aoyama & Jian Wu

Authors
  1. Yuehong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yinghua Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Rongxin Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hongjiang Jing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiaoming Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Yong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Qin Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Jieying Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Zixin Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Naohisa Nosaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Chie Arai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Michio Kasai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Toshiaki Aoyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Jian Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  16. Changyong Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Changyong Xue.

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, Y., Liu, Y., Wang, J. et al. Medium- and Long-Chain Triacylglycerols Reduce Body Fat and Blood Triacylglycerols in Hypertriacylglycerolemic, Overweight but not Obese, Chinese Individuals. Lipids 45, 501–510 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3418-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-010-3418-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation