Metabolism of Linoleic Acid in Relation to Dietary Saturated Fatty Acids in the Rat

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Abstract
To study the interactions of dietary saturated fatty acids with the metabolism of essential fatty acids, triglycerides of saturated fatty acids of chain lengths C4 to C16 were fed in a semipurified diet to groups of weanling rats at 20% of calories for 80 days. All groups were given a daily oral supplement of ethyl linoleate at a level of 0.5% of total calories. The fatty acid composition of liver lipids was determined by gas chromatography. The conversion of linoleic to arachidonic acid was not hindered by the dietary triglycerides of saturated fatty acids. Levels of 20:4ω6 were, in fact, higher in rats fed the triglycerides of saturated fatty acids than in rats fed linoleic acid only. The content of 20:3ω9 was slightly lowered by triglycerides of even-numbered saturated fatty acids of chain lengths up through C14, whereas it is significantly diminished by dietary triglycerides of fatty acids with chain lengths C5 and C11. Weight gain data revealed that triglycerides of dietary saturated fatty acids enhanced growth if minimal levels of linoleic acid were provided. Odd-numbered fatty acids affected growth adversely.