Fats and health

Edited by Doctor Francesco Casillo

It is hypothesized that MCTs also act favorably on the sense of satiety due to their action on: Cholecystokinin, YY Peptide, Inhibitory Gastric Peptide, Neurotensin and Pancreatic Polypeptide.
MCTs are believed to induce lipolysis by acting on different pathways:

downregulation of adipogenic genes
reduced activity of the Lipoprotein Lipase of the adipose tissue.
improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

These evidences and considerations lead us to consider MCTs themselves part of a dietary program aimed at weight loss and at the same time highlight that despite the fact that they are saturated fatty acids (Lauric Acid C 12: 0), given their metabolic characteristics, themselves cannot be included in the hypercholesterolemic and cardiopathogenic functions unduly attributed to the lipid supply in general and to all its subclasses without distinction.

Recent work published by Jeff Volek, PhD, of the University of Connecticut and Eric Westman, MD, of Duke University Medical School, suggests that hypoglucide diets may be a safe and effective means of promoting weight and fat loss7.
According to these authors, a low-carbohydrate diet is a regimen that contains less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day..
The percentage values of the macronutrients in this type of diet are 10% carbohydrates, 25-35% proteins and 55-65% lipids, all seen in a low-calorie context.
Although the lipid percentage may seem high, it should be remembered that it is applied to a low-calorie diet and its consequent translation into grams of pro-die lipid intake is somewhat limited. It should also be remembered that the high percentage of lipid intake stimulates enzymatic adaptations that increase and improve the catabolism of triglycerides and the consequent increase in circulating FFA (free fatty acids), displaces T4 (thyroxine - thyroid hormone) from binding sites on plasma proteins. of transport, thus increasing the free share of this hormone, which free to exert its biological effect on peripheral tissues increases the basic metabolism through which it exerts its lipolytic effect8.

But that's not all!
After this brief review of scientific research, highlighting how the "lipid intake is not all that bad that you want to believe, but rather, in addition to the improvement of cholesterolemia and the positive effect of reducing fat, the icing on the cake is represented by very recent research that makes the dangerousness of the "high intake of lipids (including" saturated "ones) now a myth and the threat represented by the food pyramid (in which the need for priority of carbohydrate intake is extreme) a reality, arousing the disappointment of how many welcomed it with open arms to justify pizza, pasta, fruit to "go go" and food without fat or the so-called "0.1%" (but full of sugars) within their DAILY nutritional regime!

In this study, the effects on different markers, used to indicate the risk of cardiovascular diseases, induced by dietary regimes characterized by different percentages of macronutrients for a period of 12 weeks were evaluated9.
Total calorie intake was the same between groups.
The caloric intake of the first 3 weeks was "maintenance" for all groups, in the following 6 weeks it underwent a decrease of 1000 kcal necessary to induce weight loss, and in the last 3 weeks the diet was structured for "stabilization" of the body weight achieved.