The effects of structurally defined triglycerides of differing fatty acid composition on postprandial haemostasis in young, healthy men Original Research Article

The aim of this study was to investigate whether a number of key haemostatic factors were altered when healthy young individuals were challenged with a fat load of physiological size contained within a meal composed of normal ingredients and whether this response was modified when the fatty acid composition of the meal was altered radically. Eight healthy male volunteers each randomly consumed four meals which were identical in terms of gross nutritional content (41% of energy provided as fat, 17% as protein and 42% as carbohydrate) but which differed in fatty acid composition. To reduce the possible influence of fatty acid position within the triglyceride molecule on lipid absorption and subsequent metabolic effects, the structural integrity of 91% of fat (test triglycerides such as 1,3 distearoyl-2-oleoyl glycerol (S-O-S), trioleine (O-O-O), and 1,3 dilinoleoyl-2-oleoyl glycerol, (L-O-L)) in the meals was controlled so that the principal fatty acid in the sn-2 position was oleic acid (18:1n-9). Meals rich in either a test triglyceride or a control oil provided 44±6 g of fat. No significant alterations from fasted values of elevated plasma factor VII coagulant activity (FVIIc) or F1+2 were observed. FVIIa varied significantly over the postprandial time course; however, when expressed as a percentage of the fasting value, the FVIIa responses to O-O-O and L-O-L differed significantly but this was not evident when the absolute values were analysed. Similarly, no difference in plasma fibrinopeptide A (FPA) concentrations were evident. After all four meals, chylomicron contained proportionately more palmitic acid and generally less oleic acid than the ingested lipids. This study clearly demonstrates that postprandial haemostatic responses of young healthy individuals to a physiological fat load are minimal, (irrespective of triglyceride structure).