Effects of medium chain triglycerides on portal and arterial levels of insulin, FFA and glucose in patients with pancreatic disease.

Trioctanoin has been given orally to six patients with pancreatic disease and the effects on the portal and arterial levels of insulin, free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose have been investigated. The serum levels of insulin and FFA rose significantly in portal blood but not in arterial blood after trioctanoin. The glucose level in portal as well as in arterial blood remained unaffected by the fat ingestion. The implications of these findings are discussed.