Emulsion Droplet Crystallinity Attenuates Short-Term Satiety in Healthy Adult Males: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Crossover, Acute Meal Study

J Nutr. 2020 Sep 1;150(9):2295-2304. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa164.

Abstract

Background: The influence of triacylglycerol (TAG) physical properties on satiety remains poorly understood.

Objectives: The objective was to investigate if and how TAG digestion and absorption, modulated only by differences in TAG crystallinity, would differentially affect short-term satiety in healthy men.

Methods: We tempered 500 mL 10% palm stearin oil-in-water emulsions such that the lipid droplets were either undercooled liquid (LE) or partially crystalline solid (SE). Fifteen healthy men (mean ± SD age: 27.5 ± 5.7 y; BMI: 24.1 ± 2.5 kg/m2; fasting TAG: 0.9 ± 0.3 mmol/L) consumed each beverage at two 6-h study visits separated by ≥6 d after an overnight fast, along with 1500 mg acetaminophen suspended in water. The participants characterized the emulsion sensory properties, completed satiety visual analog scale ratings, and had serial blood samples collected for 6-h analysis of plasma peptide YY (PYY), glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), ghrelin, leptin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), insulin, and acetaminophen (for assessing gastric emptying). Repeated-measures ANOVAs and 2-tailed paired t tests were used to analyze the changes from baseline and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) values, respectively.

Results: With consumption of LE compared with SE, there was a 358% higher fullness (P = 0.015) and a 103% lower average appetite (P = 0.041) score, along with higher iAUC values for PYY (P = 0.011) and GLP-1 (P = 0.028) (103% and 66% higher, respectively), but not for ghrelin (P = 0.39), based on change from baseline values. Acetaminophen response trended toward significance (P = 0.08) and was 15% higher with LE. SE was rated as 44% thicker (P = 0.034) and 24% creamier (P = 0.05) than LE.

Conclusions: The suppression of TAG digestion by the presence of partially crystalline lipid droplets blunted the appetite-suppressing effects of an oil-in-water emulsion.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03990246.

Keywords: appetite ratings; emulsion; gastric emptying; physical state; satiety hormones; short-term appetite.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / blood
  • Acetaminophen / pharmacokinetics
  • Adult
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / blood
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / pharmacokinetics
  • Area Under Curve
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Emulsions*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Meals*
  • Satiety Response / drug effects*
  • Triglycerides / administration & dosage
  • Triglycerides / chemistry*
  • Triglycerides / pharmacology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Emulsions
  • Triglycerides
  • Acetaminophen

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03990246