Mensink R P, Temme E H, Hornstra G
Department of Human Biology, Limburg University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Ann Med. 1994 Dec;26(6):461-4. doi: 10.3109/07853899409148369.
Earlier studies have shown that not all saturated fatty acids are equally hypercholesterolaemic: stearic acid (C18:0) and saturated fatty acids with less than 12 carbon atoms are thought not to raise serum cholesterol levels. This suggests that the cholesterol-raising effects of saturated fatty acids can be attributed to lauric acid (C12:0), myristic acid (C14:0) and palmitic acid (C16:0). These three saturated fatty acids also have different effects on serum total cholesterol levels. Results from recent controlled dietary experiments suggest that lauric acid raises serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels slightly less, and myristic acid more, as compared with palmitic acid. Myristic acid, however, also causes higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Stearic acid has only a slight effect on serum LDL and HDL cholesterol levels as compared with oleic acid. Trans monounsaturated fatty acids, however, increase LDL and decrease HDL cholesterol levels. Precise effects on lipoproteins of short and medium chain triglycerides (C4:0-C10:0) have never been examined.
早期研究表明，并非所有饱和脂肪酸都具有相同程度的致高胆固醇血症作用：硬脂酸（C18:0）以及碳原子数少于12的饱和脂肪酸被认为不会升高血清胆固醇水平。这表明饱和脂肪酸的升胆固醇作用可归因于月桂酸（C12:0）、肉豆蔻酸（C14:0）和棕榈酸（C16:0）。这三种饱和脂肪酸对血清总胆固醇水平也有不同影响。近期对照饮食实验结果表明，与棕榈酸相比，月桂酸升高血清总胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白（LDL）胆固醇水平的幅度略小，而肉豆蔻酸的作用更强。然而，肉豆蔻酸也会使高密度脂蛋白（HDL）胆固醇水平升高。与油酸相比，硬脂酸对血清LDL和HDL胆固醇水平的影响较小。然而，反式单不饱和脂肪酸会升高LDL胆固醇水平并降低HDL胆固醇水平。短链和中链甘油三酯（C4:0 - C10:0）对脂蛋白的确切影响从未得到研究。
