Plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and fecal excretion of neutral sterols and bile acids in rats fed various high fat diets or a low fat/high sucrose diet.

The effect of feeding various diets on plasma lipids and lipoproteins and on fecal excretion of neutral sterols and bile acids was studied in rats fed for 7 wk diets containing 42% of energy as either coconut oil (CO), sunflower seed oil (SO), fish body oil (FBO), cod liver oil (CLO), or a low fat/high sucrose diet (SU). Triacylglycerols (TG) in whole plasma and VLDL + LDL were lower in rats fed high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) than in those fed the CO diet. Plasma HDL2 components in FBO and CLO groups were generally lower than in the other groups. Percentages of liver and heart linoleic and arachidonic acid were higher in the SO group, but lower in groups fed marine oils, than in the CO group. There was a high relative amount of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid in liver and heart of rats fed marine oils. Fecal excretion of bile acids was lower in the PUFA groups than in the CO group, whereas the sum of neutral sterols was similar in all groups. Plasma HDL2 (and VLDL + LDL) correlated positively, but HDL3 negatively, with fecal bile acid excretion. Accordingly, increased bile acid excretion does not seem to account for hypolipemia following intake of PUFA diets.