Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Lipids and cardiovascular/metabolic health

Palmitic acid in the sn-2 position decreases glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide secretion in healthy adults

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 68, pages 549–554 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives:

Dietary triacylglycerols (TAGs) containing palmitic acid in the sn-2 position might impair insulin release and increase plasma glucose. We tested this hypothesis by comparing postprandial responses to fats with varying proportions of palmitic acid in the sn-2 position.

Subjects/methods:

Using a crossover-designed randomized controlled trial in healthy men (n=25) and women (n=25), we compared four meals on postprandial changes in glucose (primary outcome), insulin, C-peptide, glucose, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and polypeptide YY (PYY) concentrations. The meals provided 14 g protein, 85 g carbohydrate and 50 g test fat, supplied as high oleic sunflower (HOS) oil (control), palm olein (PO), interesterified palm olein (IPO) and lard containing 0.6, 9.2, 39.1 and 70.5 mol% palmitic acid at sn-2, respectively.

Results:

No differences in plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide response between meals were found. GIP release was lower (P<0.001) for IPO and lard compared with HOS and PO meals; the maximal increments (geometric mean and 95% confidence interval) for HOS, PO, IPO and lard were 515 (468, 569), 492 (448, 540), 398 (350, 452) and 395 (364, 429) ng/l, respectively. There was a trend for the postprandial increase in PYY to be lower in women on the IPO and lard meals than those on the HOS and PO meals.

Conclusions:

Dietary TAGs with an increased proportion of palmitic acid in the sn-2 position do not have acute adverse effects on the insulin and glucose response to meals in healthy men and women, but they decrease GIP release.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Marangoni AG, Rousseau D . Engineering triacylglycerols: the role of interesterification. Trends Food Sci Tech 1995; 6: 329–335.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Berry SE, Miller GJ, Sanders TA . The solid fat content of stearic acid-rich fats determines their postprandial effects. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 1486–1494.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sundram K, Karupaiah T, Hayes KC . Stearic acid-rich interesterified fat and trans-rich fat raise the LDL/HDL ratio and plasma glucose relative to palm olein in humans. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2007; 4: 3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zock PL, de Vries JH, de Fouw NJ, Katan MB . Positional distribution of fatty acids in dietary triglycerides: effects on fasting blood lipoprotein concentrations in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 1995; 61: 48–55.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hayes KC, Pronczuk A . Replacing trans fat: the argument for palm oil with a cautionary note on interesterification. J Am Coll Nutr 2010; 29: 253S–284S.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Berry SE, Woodward R, Yeoh C, Miller GJ, Sanders TA . Effect of interesterification of palmitic acid-rich triacylglycerol on postprandial lipid and factor VII response. Lipids 2007; 42: 315–323.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Costarelli V, Sanders TA . Acute effects of dietary fat composition on postprandial plasma bile acid and cholecystokinin concentrations in healthy premenopausal women. Brit J Nutr 2001; 86: 471–477.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Baggio LL, Drucker DJ . Biology of incretins: GLP-1 and GIP. Gastroenterology 2007; 132: 2131–2157.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cho YM, Kieffer TJ . K-cells and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide in health and disease. Vitam Horm 2010; 84: 111–150.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Asmar M, Simonsen L, Madsbad S, Stallknecht B, Holst JJ, Bulow J . Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide may enhance fatty acid re-esterification in subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue in lean humans. Diabetes 2010; 59: 2160–2163.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim SJ, Nian C, McIntosh CH . GIP increases human adipocyte LPL expression through CREB and TORC2-mediated trans-activation of the LPL gene. J Lipid Res 2010; 51: 3145–3157.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lardinois CK, Starich GH, Mazzaferri EL, DeLett A . Effect of source of dietary fats on serum glucose, insulin, and gastric inhibitory polypeptide responses to mixed test meals in subjects with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. J Am Coll Nutr 1988; 7: 129–136.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Thomsen C, Storm H, Holst JJ, Hermansen K . Differential effects of saturated and monounsaturated fats on postprandial lipemia and glucagon-like peptide 1 responses in patients with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 77: 605–611.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ueno H, Yamaguchi H, Mizuta M, Nakazato M . The role of PYY in feeding regulation. Regul Pept 2008; 145: 12–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Karra E, Batterham RL . The role of gut hormones in the regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2010; 316: 120–128.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Maljaars J, Romeyn EA, Haddeman E, Peters HP, Masclee AA . Effect of fat saturation on satiety, hormone release, and food intake. Am J Clin Nutr 2009; 89: 1019–1024.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sanders TA, Filippou A, Berry SE, Baumgartner S, Mensink RP . Palmitic acid in the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols acutely influences postprandial lipid metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 2011; 94: 1433–1441.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yli-Jokipii K, Kallio H, Schwab U, Mykkanen H, Kurvinen JP, Savolainen MJ et al. Effects of palm oil and transesterified palm oil on chylomicron and VLDL triacylglycerol structures and postprandial lipid response. J Lipid Res 2001; 42: 1618–1625.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Yli-Jokipii KM, Schwab US, Tahvonen RL, Kurvinen JP, Mykkanen HM, Kallio HP . Chylomicron and VLDL TAG structures and postprandial lipid response induced by lard and modified lard. Lipids 2003; 38: 693–703.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Zampelas A, Williams CM, Morgan LM, Wright J, Quinlan PT . The effect of triacylglycerol fatty acid positional distribution on postprandial plasma metabolite and hormone responses in normal adult men. Br J Nutr 1994; 71: 401–410.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lopez S, Bermudez B, Ortega A, Varela LM, Pacheco YM, Villar J et al. Effects of meals rich in either monounsaturated or saturated fat on lipid concentrations and on insulin secretion and action in subjects with high fasting triglyceride concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr 2011; 93: 494–499.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lopez S, Bermudez B, Pacheco YM, Villar J, Abia R, Muriana FJ . Distinctive postprandial modulation of beta cell function and insulin sensitivity by dietary fats: monounsaturated compared with saturated fatty acids. Am J Clin Nutr 2008; 88: 638–644.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pertwee RG, Howlett AC, Abood ME, Alexander SP, Di Marzo V, Elphick MR et al. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. LXXIX. Cannabinoid receptors and their ligands: beyond CB(1) and CB(2). Pharmacol Rev 2010; 62: 588–631.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Cooper JA, Watras AC, Paton CM, Wegner FH, Adams AK, Schoeller DA . Impact of exercise and dietary fatty acid composition from a high-fat diet on markers of hunger and satiety. Appetite 2011; 56: 171–178.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Yabe D, Seino Y . Incretin actions beyond the pancreas: lessons from knockout mice. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2013; 13: 946–953.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Dockray GJ . Enteroendocrine cell signalling via the vagus nerve. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2013; 13: 954–958.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Papamargaritis D, Panteliou E, Miras AD, le Roux CW . Mechanisms of weight loss, diabetes control and changes in food choices after gastrointestinal surgery. Curr Atheroscler Rep 2012; 14: 616–623.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Holst JJ, Vilsboll T, Deacon CF . The incretin system and its role in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2009; 297: 127–136.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. Oils and fats were provided by Archer Daniels Midland Pura Limited, Erith, UK Archer Daniel Mills and interesterified products by Unimills BV, LE Zwijndrech, Netherlands free of charge. We thank Jo Bruce (Archer Daniels Midland Pura Limited, Erith, UK) for providing the test fats, Dr Martijn Zieverink (Unimills BV, LE Zwijndrech, Netherlands) for performing the interesterification and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board for providing financial support. We also thank Virginia Govoni, Sonia Edmondson and Victoria Feenie (King’s College London) for their assistance in conducting the study and Dr Roy Sherwood and Tracy Dew of the Clinical Chemistry Department, King’s College Hospital for measuring the insulin, C-peptide and gut hormones.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division, School of Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK,

    A Filippou, S E Berry & T A B Sanders

  2. NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands,

    S Baumgartner & R P Mensink

Authors
  1. A Filippou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S E Berry
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S Baumgartner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R P Mensink
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T A B Sanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T A B Sanders.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Contributors: Tom Sanders, Sarah Berry and Ronald Mensink conceived and devised the study and contributed to the running of the study and analysis and writing of the manuscript. Androulla Filippou organized and conducted the study at King's College London and contributed to the sample analysis and writing of the manuscript. Sabine Baumgartner organized and conducted the study at the University of Maastricht and contributed to sample analysis.

Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on European Journal of Clinical Nutrition website

Supplementary information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Filippou, A., Berry, S., Baumgartner, S. et al. Palmitic acid in the sn-2 position decreases glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide secretion in healthy adults. Eur J Clin Nutr 68, 549–554 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.49

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.49

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links