J Nutr. 2003 Jan;133(1):78-83.

The serum LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio is influenced more favorably by
exchanging saturated with unsaturated fat than by reducing saturated
fat in the diet of women.

Müller H, Lindman AS, Brantsaeter AL, Pedersen JI.
University College of Akershus, Bekkestua, Norway.

We compared the effects of a high fat diet [38.4% of energy (E%) from
fat; HSAFA diet, polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratio =
0.14], a low fat diet (19.7 E% from fat; LSAFA diet, P/S = 0.17), both
based on coconut oil, and a diet with a high content of mono- and
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; 38.2 E% from fat; HUFA diet, P/S =
1.9) on serum lipoproteins. The 25 women studied consumed each diet
for 3-wk periods in a crossover design. The two high fat diets were
identical except for the quality of the test fat. The LSAFA diet was
identical to the HSAFA diet except that half the fat was replaced by
carbohydrates. Serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apoB
concentrations did not differ between the HSAFA and the LSAFA diet
periods. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apoB were lower when
women consumed the HUFA diet than when they consumed the other two
diets. HDL cholesterol and apoA-I were 15 and 11%, respectively,
higher when women consumed the HSAFA diet than when they consumed the
LSAFA diet; HDL cholesterol and apoA-I were lower when women consumed
the HUFA diet than when they consumed the HSAFA diet, but not the
LSAFA diet. The LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol and apoB/apoA-I ratios
were higher when women consumed the LSAFA diet than when they consumed
the HSAFA diet. The LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio was higher when women
consumed either the LSAFA or the HSAFA diet than when they consumed
the HUFA diet, whereas apoB/apoA-I was higher when women consumed the
LSAFA diet than when they consumed the HUFA diet. Triacylglycerol and
VLDL cholesterol were higher when women consumed the LSAFA diet than
when they consumed either the HSAFA or the HUFA diet. We conclude
that, to influence the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, changing the
proportions of dietary fatty acids may be more important than
restricting the percentage of total or saturated fat energy, at least
when derived mainly from lauric and myristic acids, both of which
increase HDL cholesterol.
PMID: 12514271

J Nutr. 2003 Nov;133(11):3422-7.

A diet rich in coconut oil reduces diurnal postprandial variations in
circulating tissue plasminogen activator antigen and fasting
lipoprotein (a) compared with a diet rich in unsaturated fat in women.

Müller H, Lindman AS, Blomfeldt A, Seljeflot I, Pedersen JI.
University College of Akershus, 1356 Bekkestua, Norway.

The effects of high and low fat diets with identical polyunsaturated/
saturated fatty acid (P/S) ratios on plasma postprandial levels of
some hemostatic variables and on fasting lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] are
not known. This controlled crossover study compared the effects of a
high fat diet [38.4% of energy (E%) from fat; HSAFA-diet, P/S ratio
0.14], a low fat diet (19.7 E% from fat; LSAFA-diet, P/S ratio 0.17),
both based on coconut oil, and a diet with a high content of
monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and PUFA (38.2 E% from fat; HUFA-
diet, P/S ratio 1.9) on diurnal postprandial levels of some hemostatic
variables (n = 11) and fasting levels of Lp(a) (n = 25). The
postprandial plasma concentration of tissue plasminogen activator
antigen (t-PA antigen) was decreased when the women consumed the HSAFA-
diet compared with the HUFA-diet (P = 0.02). Plasma t-PA antigen was
correlated with plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1)
activity when the participants consumed all three diets (Rs = 0.78, P
< 0.01; Rs = 0.76, P < 0.01; Rs = 0.66, P = 0.03; on the HSAFA-, the
LSAFA- and the HUFA-diet, respectively), although the diets did not
affect the PAI-1 levels. There were no significant differences in
postprandial variations in t-PA activity, factor VII coagulant
activity or fibrinogen levels due to the diets. Serum fasting Lp(a)
levels were lower when women consumed the HSAFA-diet (13%, P < 0.001)
and tended to be lower when they consumed the LSAFA-diet (5.3%, P =
0.052) than when they consumed the HUFA-diet. Serum Lp(a)
concentrations did not differ when the women consumed the HSAFA- and
LSAFA-diets. In conclusion, our results indicate that a coconut oil-
based diet (HSAFA-diet) lowers postprandial t-PA antigen
concentration, and this may favorably affect the fibrinolytic system
and the Lp(a) concentration compared with the HUFA-diet. The
proportions of dietary saturated fatty acids more than the percentage
of saturated fat energy seem to have a beneficial influence on Lp(a)
levels.
PMID: 14608053