The Acute Effects of Meals Rich in Saturated or Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Postprandial Lipaemia in Healthy Men (CocoHeart)

The Acute Effects of Meals Rich in Saturated or Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Postprandial Lipaemia in Healthy Men

The Acute Effects of Meals Rich in Saturated or Unsaturated Fatty Acids on Postprandial Lipaemia in Healthy Men

Current dietary recommendations suggest that lowering intake of saturated fats or replacing it with unsaturated fats will decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Coconut oil has gained popularity in recent years but it contains 90% saturated fat, which has higher percentage of saturated fat than butter. To date, only limited studies have determined the acute effects of meals containing coconut oil on blood lipids, but findings are inconsistent. Therefore, further studies are needed to address this knowledge gap and compare the postprandial effects of test meals rich in coconut oil with other sources of saturated fatty acids such as butter and unsaturated fatty acids (vegetable oils). A cross-over, double-blind, randomised acute postprandial study will be conducted in 15 healthy men. Participants will be assigned to consume the test meals rich in saturated or unsaturated fatty acids in random order on 3 separate occasions, with 3-4 weeks between each study visit. Participants will be provided with breakfast (toast with jam and milkshake, 50g fat) and lunch (toast with jam and milkshake, 30g fat). The anthropometric, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and breath samples will be taken for each study visit. Blood samples will be collected for the measurement of fasting lipids, glucose, insulin, inflammatory markers, whole blood culture as well as blood clotting. Breath samples are collected for the measurement of gastric emptying as well as assessment of satiety using questionnaires (100 mm visual analogue scale) completed throughout the day. The findings from this study will contribute to the evidence base on how consuming meals rich in coconut oil influence the level of blood lipids as well as other biomarkers for cardiovascular disease.

Participants will be asked to consume a breakfast (0 minute) and lunch (330 minute) rich in coconut oil

Participants will be asked to consume a breakfast (0 minute) and lunch (330 minute) rich in vegetable oil

50 g of coconut oil will be added to the test meal for breakfast and 30 g of coconut oil will be added to the test meal for lunch

50 g of butter will be added to the test meal for breakfast and 30 g of butter will be added to the test meal for lunch

50 g of vegetable oil will be added to the test meal for breakfast and 30 g of vegetable oil will be added to the test meal for lunch

Interleukin 6, interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 10, tumour necrosis factor alpha, C-C motif chemokine ligand 5, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 5

Inclusion Criteria: Healthy men Aged between 30 to 70 years Serum triacylglycerol < 2.3 mmol/l Body mass index between 19-32 kg/m2 Total cholesterol < 7.5 mmol/l Exclusion Criteria: Females Smokers Medical history of myocardial infarction or stroke in the past 12 months Diabetes (defined as fasting glucose > 7.0 mmol/l) or other endocrine disorders Kidney, liver, pancreas or gastrointestinal disorder Hypertension (blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg), cancer, medication for hyperlipidaemia (e.g. statins), hypertension or, inflammation Anaemia (<130 g/L haemoglobin) Taking any dietary supplements known to influence lipids/gut microbiota (e.g. plant stanols, fish oil, phytochemicals, natural laxatives, probiotics and prebiotics) Drinking in excess of 14 units of alcohol per week Planning on a weight-reducing regime Parallel participation in another dietary intervention study Any other unusual medical history or diet and lifestyle habits or practices that would preclude volunteers from participating in a dietary intervention and metabolic study