Randomised trial of coconut oil, olive oil or butter on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in healthy men and women
Khaw KT, Sharp SJ, Finikarides L, Afzal I, Lentjes M, Luben R, Forouhi NG
BMJ open · 131 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Not stated
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- British Broadcasting Corporation
- Government
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- University or hospital
- University of Cambridge
- University or hospital
- University of Oxford
- Government
- Medical Research Council
- Government
- Medical Research Council Core Epidemiology support
- Government
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
- Government
- National Institute for Health Research Senior Investigator Award
- Grants
- Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/5); Medical Research Council (MC_UU_12015/5); National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0512-10114)
Based on 8 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2018-03-01 · BMJ Open · vol. 8 · issue 3 · p. e020167
- Publisher
- BMJ
- Cited
- 194 citations · more than 98% of similar papers · 6.9× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 45 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Coconut Research and Applications · Fatty Acid Research and Health · Nuts composition and effects
- Keywords
- Medicine, Coconut oil, Blood lipids, Olive oil, Food science, Obesity, Saturated fat, Cholesterol, Population, Coronary heart disease, Environmental health, Internal medicine, Biology
- MeSH
- humans, cocos, olea, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, dietary fats, butter, fatty acids, diet, risk factors, reference values, aged, middle aged, female, male, cholesterol, ldl, cholesterol, hdl, olive oil, coconut oil
7 authors
From GB
- Kay‐Tee Khaw · correspondingUniversity of Cambridge
- Stephen J. SharpUniversity of Cambridge; Medical Research Council
- Leila FinikaridesUniversity of Cambridge; British Broadcasting Corporation (United Kingdom)
- Islam AfzalAston University
- Marleen A. H. LentjesUniversity of Cambridge
- Robert LubenUniversity of Cambridge
Abstract
Introduction
High dietary saturated fat intake is associated with higher blood concentrations of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), an established risk factor for coronary heart disease. However, there is increasing interest in whether various dietary oils or fats with different fatty acid profiles such as extra virgin coconut oil may have different metabolic effects but trials have reported inconsistent results. We aimed to compare changes in blood lipid profile, weight, fat distribution and metabolic markers after four weeks consumption of 50 g daily of one of three different dietary fats, extra virgin coconut oil, butter or extra virgin olive oil, in healthy men and women in the general population.
Design
Randomised clinical trial conducted over June and July 2017.
Setting
General community in Cambridgeshire, UK.
Participants
Volunteer adults were recruited by the British Broadcasting Corporation through their websites. Eligibility criteria were men and women aged 50-75 years, with no known history of cancer, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, not on lipid lowering medication, no contraindications to a high-fat diet and willingness to be randomised to consume one of the three dietary fats for 4 weeks. Of 160 individuals initially expressing an interest and assessed for eligibility, 96 were randomised to one of three interventions; 2 individuals subsequently withdrew and 94 men and women attended a baseline assessment. Their mean age was 60 years, 67% were women and 98% were European Caucasian. Of these, 91 men and women attended a follow-up assessment 4 weeks later.
Intervention
Participants were randomised to extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter and asked to consume 50 g daily of one of these fats for 4 weeks, which they could incorporate into their usual diet or consume as a supplement.
Main outcomes and measures
The primary outcome was change in serum LDL-C; secondary outcomes were change in total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC and HDL-C), TC/HDL-C ratio and non-HDL-C; change in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, per cent body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and C reactive protein.
Results
LDL-C concentrations were significantly increased on butter compared with coconut oil (+0.42, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.65 mmol/L, P<0.0001) and with olive oil (+0.38, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.60 mmol/L, P<0.0001), with no differences in change of LDL-C in coconut oil compared with olive oil (-0.04, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.19 mmol/L, P=0.74). Coconut oil significantly increased HDL-C compared with butter (+0.18, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.30 mmol/L) or olive oil (+0.16, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.28 mmol/L). Butter significantly increased TC/HDL-C ratio and non-HDL-C compared with coconut oil but coconut oil did not significantly differ from olive oil for TC/HDL-C and non-HDL-C. There were no significant differences in changes in weight, BMI, central adiposity, fasting blood glucose, systolic or diastolic blood pressure among any of the three intervention groups.
Conclusions and relevance
Two different dietary fats (butter and coconut oil) which are predominantly saturated fats, appear to have different effects on blood lipids compared with olive oil, a predominantly monounsaturated fat with coconut oil more comparable to olive oil with respect to LDL-C. The effects of different dietary fats on lipid profiles, metabolic markers and health outcomes may vary not just according to the general classification of their main component fatty acids as saturated or unsaturated but possibly according to different profiles in individual fatty acids, processing methods as well as the foods in which they are consumed or dietary patterns. These findings do not alter current dietary recommendations to reduce saturated fat intake in general but highlight the need for further elucidation of the more nuanced relationships between different dietary fats and health.
Trial registration number
NCT03105947; Results.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
Community trust
Loading…
How much do you trust this study's findings?
Comments
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inSomething wrong here?
Flag this study if its information, labels or funding look wrong. An editor reviews every flag.
Sign in to rate, comment on or flag this study.Sign inEducational information about published research. Not medical advice, and not a recommendation to start or stop anything.