A good response to oil with medium- and long-chain fatty acids in body fat and blood lipid profiles of male hypertriglyceridemic subjects

A double blind clinical trial was carried out to clarify the effects of oil with medium- and long-chain triglyceride (MLCT) on body fat and blood lipid profiles in hypertriglyceridemic subjects. One-hundred-and-twelve subjects were enrolled and divided into two groups; those that consumed MLCT oil and those that consumed long-chain triglyceride (LCT) oil for 8 weeks. All subjects were requested to consume 25-30 g of the oils daily and maintain a fixed level of energy intake and exercise. Anthropometric and blood biochemical parameters were measured when the study was initiated and completed. The LCT group consisted of 50 subjects (34 men and 16 women), while the MLCT group consisted of 51 subjects (33 men and 18 women) who completed the study. Larger decreases in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body fat, total fat area and subcutaneous fat area in the abdomen and serum triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, C2, C3 and E were observed in male subjects in the MLCT group than those in the LCT group. However, no significant differences in these parameters between the female subjects in the two groups were observed. Data from this study indicate that consumption of medium-and long-chain triglycerides can reduce body weight and body fat and improve blood lipid profiles in male hypertriglyceridemic subjects.