Glyceride stearic acid content and structure affect the energy available to growing rats

The effect of salatrim, a low-calorie modified triacylglycerol, on appetite and energy intake

BACKGROUND

Salatrim is modified triacylglycerol that is rich in short-chain fatty acids and stearic acid. It is used as a lower-calorie fat replacer. In addition, it has been hypothesized that salatrim's reduced absorption in the small intestine may lead to greater amounts of fat in the gastrointestinal tract, which may decrease appetite and energy intake through the release of appetite-regulating gastrointestinal hormones.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to compare the effects of salatrim and traditional fat on appetite, ad libitum energy intake, and gastrointestinal hormones.

DESIGN

Twenty-two healthy, young, normal-weight men participated in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Test meals were a traditional fat meal and a salatrim meal with a mixture of traditional fat and salatrim. Visual analogue scales were used to record appetite and well-being every 30 min, and blood was sampled frequently. An ad libitum lunch was served 4.5 h after the test meal.

RESULTS

The salatrim meal increased fullness (P = 0.04) and decreased hunger (P = 0.06) significantly more than did the traditional fat meal. The traditional fat meal increased well-being (P = 0.02). There was no significant difference in ad libitum energy intake or overall energy intake between the 2 test days. No significant differences in blood glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol, ghrelin, cholecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide-1, or peptide YY concentrations were found. A significantly (P = 0.01) smaller increase in free fatty acids was observed after the salatrim meal than after the traditional fat meal.

CONCLUSIONS

Salatrim had a modestly more suppressive effect on appetite than did a traditional fat. Gastrointestinal hormones did not seem to be involved.

Stearic acid is well absorbed from short- and long-acyl-chain triacylglycerol in an acute test meal

OBJECTIVE

Absorption of stearic acid from natural oils has been shown to be efficient, but it is claimed to be lower from short- and long-acyl-chain triacylyglycerol molecules (Salatrim). The aim was to measure the apparent absorption of stearic acid from Salatrim fat in an acute test meal.

DESIGN

Double-blind crossover study.

SUBJECTS

Ten healthy male volunteers, of whom eight completed the study.

METHODS

The subjects were studied on two occasions after consumption of a single high-fat meal either without (control) or with 30 g of Salatrim. Fecal samples were collected for 96 h after the meal and the fat was extracted for analysis of the content and composition of free and esterified long-chain fatty acids.

RESULTS

Baseline fecal fat was 5.6+/-2.6 g/day increasing to 10.4+/-4.9 g/day after addition of Salatrim (P=0.001). During the whole collection period, the baseline fecal free and esterified fatty acids were 2.6+/-2.3 and 0.8+/-0.7 g, respectively. After Salatrim meal the corresponding figures increased to 5.9+/-3.6 g (P=0.001) and 1.5 (+/-1.2) g (P=0.003), respectively. The total fecal stearic acid after control meal was 0.97+/-0.9 g. Consumption of Salatrim with 16.7+/-0.5 g of stearic acid increased the content to 3.12+/-1.6 g (P<0.001), with apparent absorption of 87%.

CONCLUSIONS

The apparent absorption of stearic acid does not differ from its absorption from natural fats. The status of Salatrim as a low-energy fat substitute needs to be re-evaluated.

SPONSORSHIP

University of Turku.