Nutritional Studies on Medium-Chain Fatty Acid

Abstract

Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), differing from long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in ordinary oils and fats, are absorbed into portal vein and directly transported to the liver for rapid oxidation. Therefore, MCFA lead to higher diet-induced thermogenesis. MCFA hardly raise postprandial plasma triglyceride. MCFA have been confirmed to be safe under normal conditions. Recently, long-term clinical trials have demonstrated that medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) and medium and long-chain triacylglycerols (MLCT) result in less body fat. Despite a relatively low proportion of MCFA, MLCT are effective for reducing body fat, and available for multi purpose edible oils.