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Dietary carbohydrate restriction favorably alters circulating fatty acid composition compared to fat restriction
Author(s) -
Forsythe Cassandra E,
Fernandez Maria Luz,
Phinney Stephen D,
Richard Feinman D,
Quann Erin E,
Wood Richard J,
Puglisi Michael J,
Labonte Cherise C,
Volk Brittanie M,
Kraemer William J,
Bibus Doug M,
Volek Jeff S
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a342
Subject(s) - lipogenesis , carbohydrate , chemistry , triglyceride , fatty acid , phospholipid , medicine , linolenic acid , endocrinology , food science , lipid metabolism , biochemistry , cholesterol , linoleic acid , biology , membrane
We have previously shown that very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets (VLCKD) are more effective than low fat diets (LFD) at improving metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk. Here, we measured fatty acid composition in triglyceride (TG), cholesteryl ester (CE), and phospholipid fractions using high resolution gas chromatography from 40 overweight men and women who consumed an ad libitum VLCKD (1504 kcal: %CHO:FAT:PRO=12:59:28) or a LFD (1478 kcal: %CHO:FAT:PRO =56:24:20). Despite a 3‐fold higher intake of saturated fat in VLCKD, saturated fatty acids in TG and CE were significantly decreased, as was palmitoleic acid (16:1n‐7) an endogenous marker of lipogenesis, compared to LFD. Arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n‐6) was consistently increased in all lipid fractions after the VLCKD, and was inversely related to markers of lipogenesis and inflammation. In contrast, the metabolic intermediates in the biosynthetic pathway (dihomo‐λ‐linolenic acid [20:3n‐6] and λ‐linolenic acid [18:3n‐6]) were consistently decreased after the VLCKD, suggesting increased AA was not a result of greater production. These findings indicate the physiologic effect of dietary fat can be significantly modulated by the presence of carbohydrate. Specifically, a reduced carbohydrate intake allows for better processing of saturated fat by inhibiting de novo lipogenesis and by improving utilization/clearance of saturated fatty acids.