The plasma level of triacylglycerols in horses fed high-fat diets containing either soybean oil or palm oil.

This study explores the effects of diets containing either soybean oil or palm oil on the plasma levels of triacylglycerols in horses, concluding that soybean oil does not significantly change these levels when compared to palm oil.

Study Overview and Purpose

• This research was designed to investigate the effects of feeding soybean oil as opposed to palm oil, on the plasma levels of triacylglycerols in horses.
• The hypothesis, based on previously published data for humans and laboratory animals, was that a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids (such as that found in soybean oil) would lower the plasma levels of triacylglycerols compared to one rich in saturated fatty acids (like palm oil).

Methodology

• This study was conducted in form of a crossover experiment involving four horses.
• These horses were fed diets involving either soybean oil or palm oil for a period of four weeks.
• The levels of triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, and 3-hydroxybutyrate in the horse’s plasma were measured. It was ascertained that the fatty acid composition of the plasma triacylglycerols mirrored the fatty acid composition of the diets.
• Additionally, the researchers assessed the activity level of lipoprotein lipase which was also unaffected by the type of oil in the diet.

Results and Conclusion

• Contrary to the researchers’ initial hypothesis, the results showed that the feeding of soybean oil did not change the plasma triacylglycerol level when compared to palm oil feeding.
• The mean levels of triacylglycerol, free fatty acids and 3-hydroxybutyrate in the plasma were 0.17 (SE, 0.04), 0.44 (SE, 0.063) and 0.16 (SE, 0.008) mmol/l, respectively, irrespective of the oil type in the diet.
• Overall, the conclusion from the study was that the inclusion of soybean oil in horse diets does not influence the secretion of triacylglycerols into the plasma, hence, does not influence the concentration of plasma triacylglycerols, as compared with the inclusion of palm oil.