Six Different Fat Tolerance Tests in Young, Healthy Subjects – Gender Dependent Postprandial Lipemia and Glucose

Background: Exacerbated postprandial lipid responses are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Meals with different types of fat may affect postprandial responses differently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the postprandial lipemia in young healthy subjects after six oral fat tolerance test (OFTT) with varying amounts of saturated fat.

Methods: With six different types of butter added in random order to potatoes we measured postprandial lipemia, lipoprotein, glucose, and insulin increments for eight hours in 14 young, lean, healthy students, seven of each gender. The area under the curve (AUC) was determined for the postprandial values.

Results: The meals with six types of butters had similar postprandial response even if the saturated fat content varied with 50%. Gender significantly affected the TG responses, as time to peak was 90 minutes in women and 180 minutes in men. Postprandial AUC was higher with respect to TG (p<0.001), LDL-Cholesterol (p<0.002), total cholesterol (p<0.027), and glucose (p<0.009) in men compared to women. HDL-Cholesterol was lowest in men (AUC, p<0.001). No association with gender was found with free fatty acids and insulin AUCs.

Conclusion: The six OFTT gave similar metabolic responses and postprandial lipemia was gender-specific. Replacement of saturated fat by mono- or polyunsaturated fat did not alter postprandial lipemia
during a single OFTT.