EFFECTS OF COCONUT OIL, BUTTER, AND SAFFLOWER OIL ON LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS IN PERSONS WITH MODERATELY ELEVATED CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

The physiological effects of coconut oil, butter, and safflower oil on lipids and lipoproteins have been compared in moderately hypercholest erolemic individuals. Twenty eight participants (13 men, 15 women) fol lowed three 6-week experimental diets of similar macronutrient distrib ution with the different test fats providing 50% total dietary fat. To tal cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were significa ntly higher (P < 0.001) on the diet containing butter [6.8 +/- 0.9, 4. 5 +/- 0.8 mmol/l] (mean +/- SD), respectively than on the coconut oil diet (6.4 +/- 0.8; 4.2 +/- 0.7 mmol/l) when levels were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than on the safflower diet (6.1 +/- 0.8; 3.9 +/- 0.7 mmol/l). Findings with regard to the other measures of lipids and lip oproteins were less consistent. Apolipoprotein A-I was significantly h igher on coconut oil (157 +/- 17 mg/dl) and on butter (141 +/- 23 mg/d l) than on safflower oil (132 +/- 22 mg/dl). Apolipoprotein B was also higher on butter (86 +/- 20 mg/dl) and coconut oil (91 +/- 32 mg/dl) than on safflower oil (77 +/- 19 mg/dl). However gender differences we re apparent. In the group as a whole, high density lipoprotein did not differ significantly on the three diets whereas levels in women on th e butter and coconut oil diet were significantly higher than on the sa fflower oil diet. Triacylglycerol was higher on the butter diet than o n the safflower and coconut oil diets but the difference only reached statistical significance in women. Cholesteryl ester transfer activity was significantly higher on butter than safflower oil in the group as a whole and in women. Thus, despite similar total;saturated fatty aci d composition and a higher total percentage of the cholesterol-elevati ng fatty acids (lauric, myristic and palmitic acids) in the coconut oi l diet compared with the butter diet, levels of total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were lower on the coconut oil diet The data pr ovide confirmation that butter, a source of fat rich in palmitic acid, has a greater hypercholesterolemic effect than coconut oil that is ri ch in lauric acid.