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Intestinal Absorption of Stearic Acid after Consumption of High Fat Meals in Humans¹

Center for Human Nutrition, Departments of Clinical Nutrition, Internal Medicine and Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235-9052

The intestinal absorption of stearic acid (18:0), relative to other fatty acids, was evaluated in a group of 10 normal volunteers. Subjects were fed two types of high fat meals; one contained a relatively high content of stearic acid and the other a relatively low content. Plasma chylomicrons were isolated at 2,4,6 and 8 h after ingestion of the meals. Fatty acid patterns of chylomicron lipids were determined, and relative intestinal absorption rates of each fatty acid were estimated by comparing the fatly acid composition of chylomicron lipids with that of the fat in the meals. Overall, for both meals the fatty acid pattern of chylomicron lipids was very similar to that of ingested fat. Percentages of palmitic acid (16:0) and stearic acid, relative to other fatty acids, were only slightly lower in chylomicron lipids than in the meal fat. These data suggest that intestinal absorbability of stearic acid is similar to that of palmitic acid, and both saturated fatty acids appear to be absorbed almost as well as oleic acid (16:1).

KEY WORDS: • stearic acid • palmitic acid • oleic acid • triglycerides • humans • chylomicron lipids

¹ Supported by the U.S. Veterans Administration, grants (HL-29252, 1-RR0053) from the National Institutes of Health, the Southwestern Medical Foundation, Mead Johnson and Company (Evansville, IN), and the Moss Heart Foundation of Dallas, TX.

² Present address: University of Padua, Clinica Medica I, Policlinico Universitario via Giustiniani 2, Padua, Italy 35100.

³ To whom reprint requests should be addressed.

Manuscript received 7 July 1988. Revision accepted 10 August 1989.