Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT808

Background: Intake of milk fat has been linked to improved cardiometabolic health compared to other sources of dietary fat. Milk fat is mainly composed of triglycerides surrounded by a complex and unique tri-layer membrane composed of phospholipids and protein, known as the Milk Fat Globule Membrane (MFGM), which has been proposed as an explanation for the potential health benefits of milk fat. To investigate this, we developed three isocaloric high-fat dairy products consisting of milk fat with intact MFGM, milk fat with disintegrated MFGM and milk fat without MFGM but with equal protein and fat content. We hypothesized, that the presence and the structural integrity of MFGM would attenuate the postprandial lipemia upon intake of high-fat dairy spreads.

Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers were randomized in a double-blind, controlled, crossover design. Participants were studied on three different occasions with a wash-out period of minimum one week. Participants were investigated after consuming two high-fat meals (40g milk fat), one for breakfast and one for lunch, containing either intact MFGM, disintegrated MFGM, or no MFGM. Postprandial lipemia was evaluated as area under the curve (AUC) for plasma triglyceride (TG). Gastric emptying was assessed using the acetaminophen test, while appetite was evaluated through questionnaires and an ad libitum meal test at the end of each study day.

Results: AUC for TG did not differ between the three interventions (MFGM: 1.3 mmol/l*min, 95%CI: 1.2–1.4; destroyed MFGM: 1.3 mmol/l*min, 95% CI: 1.2–1.4; no MFGM: 1.1 mmol/l*min, 95% CI: 1.–1.19, P = 0.8). In addition, no difference between the three interventions was observed for insulin levels, glucose levels, gastric emptying, appetite sensation or ad libitum food intake.

Conclusion: MFGM content and/or structural integrity of milk fat does not appear to have significant impact on the postprandial metabolic response in healthy individuals. Consequently, potential cardiometabolic health benefits from consuming high milk fat servings may instead be mediated by other structural components of the food matrix, such as protein structure.