Production and clearance of plasma triacylglycerols in ponies fed diets containing either medium-chain triacylglycerols or soya bean oil.

The research article investigates the effect of feeding horses diets containing either medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs) or soya bean oil and its impact on the production and clearance of plasma triacylglycerols. The study found that a diet containing MCTs increases the production of these triacylglycerols in the bloodstream, which is associated with an increased ability to clear these molecules from the system.

Research Methodology

• The study was conducted with six ponies, which were fed diets alternating between MCTs and an equivalent energy amount of soya bean oil. This was as per a cross-over design, a type of study in which each participant acts as their own control by receiving all treatments in random order.
• The MCT made up around 13% of the total dry matter in the diet.
• The ponies were fed these diets for a three-week period, after which their plasma triacylglycerol concentrations were measured.
• They used the Triton method to assess plasma triacylglycerol production and Intralipid(R) infusion to evaluate the clearance of these molecules.

Research Findings

• The study discovered that when the ponies were subjected to the MCT diet, their mean plasma triacylglycerol concentration increased significantly compared to when they were on the soya bean oil diet.
• The production of plasma triacylglycerols also increased when fed the diet containing MCT compared to that of soya bean oil.
• Although the calculated rates of plasma triacylglycerol production were found to be potentially underestimated, with the greatest deviation when the ponies were on the soya bean oil diet, MCT diets still showed higher rates of triacylglycerol production.
• Clearance rates of triacylglycerols were calculated based on group mean values for both the fractional clearance rate and the baseline levels of plasma triacylglycerols, with MCT diet feeding leading to higher rates compared to soya bean oil feeding.
• However, the study did not find an increase in individual ponies’ mean absolute clearance rates when on the MCT diet. This may indicate variability in individual metabolic responses.

Conclusion

• Even though the absolute clearance rates did not consistently increase, the overall findings supported the initial hypothesis. The researchers concluded that diets containing MCT cause an increase in the production of plasma triacylglycerols, which is linked to an increased ability to clear these molecules from the bloodstream under steady-state conditions. This finding may hold implications for the formulation of horse feeds, specifically in terms of energy sourcing and metabolic health.