Dietary Stearic Acid Regulates Mitochondria In Vivo In Humans

Mito

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2016
Messages
2,554
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05614-6

Abstract
Since modern foods are unnaturally enriched in single metabolites, it is important to understand which metabolites are sensed by the human body and which are not. We previously showed that the fatty acid stearic acid (C18:0) signals via a dedicated pathway to regulate mitofusin activity and thereby mitochondrial morphology and function in cell culture. Whether this pathway is poised to sense changes in dietary intake of C18:0 in humans is not known. We show here that C18:0 ingestion rapidly and robustly causes mitochondrial fusion in people within 3 h after ingestion. C18:0 intake also causes a drop in circulating long-chain acylcarnitines, suggesting increased ftatty acid beta-oxidation in vivo. This work thereby identifies C18:0 as a dietary metabolite that is sensed by our bodies to control our mitochondria. This could explain part of the epidemiological differences between C16:0 and C18:0, whereby C16:0 increases cardiovascular and cancer risk whereas C18:0 decreases both.

Discussion

In this study, we identify stearic acid (C18:0) as a metabolite that is sensed in our diets and regulates human physiology, in particular mitochondrial morphology and function. Intriguingly, our data imply that when we eat, the C18:0 in our food causes our mitochondria to fuse within a few hours of eating. This response is impressively robust: we obtained statistically significant results with only 10 healthy subjects. Unlike C18:0, C16:0 does not have this effect. This could explain part of the difference between C16:0 and C18:0 observed epidemiologically, whereby C16:0 increases the risk for cancer and cardiovascular risk whereas C18:0 reduces both7,11,12,13,14,15: if dietary C18:0 signals the intake of lipids to the human body, to activate a physiological response for lipid handling which includes fatty acid beta-oxidation, whereas C16:0 does not, this would imply that C16:0 ingestion will lead to more fat accumulation in the body than C18:0 ingestion. Fat accumulation, in turn, is a risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and cancer. Hence the balance of C16:0 to C18:0 in our diets may be important. A diet rich in C16:0 could be particularly bad because it provides lipids to the body without activating the mitochondrial response that C18:0 does. We included both healthy subjects and type-2 diabetic patients in our study, however we did not see significant differences in the basal mitochondrial morphology (Fig. 4a) or in the response to C18:0 ingestion in these two groups (Fig. 1). If anything, C18:0 ingestion caused more robust mitochondrial fusion in diabetic patients than in controls. Further work will be necessary to test whether longer-term dietary interventions with C18:0 can affect baseline levels of C18:0 in the serum, and hence mitochondrial morphology and function.
 
Joined
Jan 4, 2017
Messages
278
Interesting. This seems to go along with some of the posts on the forum saying Stearic acid reduces bodyfat. I'd be interested to find out what the exact mechanisms are to the effect.
 

800mRepeats

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
158
T

tca300

Guest
Kokum butter?

52+% Stearic acid, and less than 2% Linoleic acid.
 

ddjd

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
6,673

800mRepeats

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
158
Palmitic is also very healthy I presume

I'm not passing judgement on palmitic acid.
But, if you were interested in the seemingly positive (or interesting) effects of stearic acid mentioned in this article, you might wish to also consider what the article points out about palmitic acid.

The following two quotes pertaining to palmitic acid are pulled from the Abstract and Discussion in the initial post:

This work thereby identifies C18:0 as a dietary metabolite that is sensed by our bodies to control our mitochondria. This could explain part of the epidemiological differences between C16:0 and C18:0, whereby C16:0 increases cardiovascular and cancer risk whereas C18:0 decreases both.

Unlike C18:0, C16:0 does not have this effect. This could explain part of the difference between C16:0 and C18:0 observed epidemiologically, whereby C16:0 increases the risk for cancer and cardiovascular risk whereas C18:0 reduces both7,11,12,13,14,15: if dietary C18:0 signals the intake of lipids to the human body, to activate a physiological response for lipid handling which includes fatty acid beta-oxidation, whereas C16:0 does not, this would imply that C16:0 ingestion will lead to more fat accumulation in the body than C18:0 ingestion. Fat accumulation, in turn, is a risk factor for both cardiovascular disease and cancer. Hence the balance of C16:0 to C18:0 in our diets may be important. A diet rich in C16:0 could be particularly bad because it provides lipids to the body without activating the mitochondrial response that C18:0 does.
 

ddjd

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
6,673
I'm not passing judgement on palmitic acid.
But, if you were interested in the seemingly positive (or interesting) effects of stearic acid mentioned in this article, you might wish to also consider what the article points out about palmitic acid.

The following two quotes pertaining to palmitic acid are pulled from the Abstract and Discussion in the initial post:
Yes sorry I didn't read that at all! Thanks for posting
 

ddjd

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2014
Messages
6,673
I'm not passing judgement on palmitic acid.
But, if you were interested in the seemingly positive (or interesting) effects of stearic acid mentioned in this article, you might wish to also consider what the article points out about palmitic acid.

The following two quotes pertaining to palmitic acid are pulled from the Abstract and Discussion in the initial post:
What would be the best or purest source of stearic acid then?
 

Inaut

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Messages
3,620
white chocolate m&ms ?
I've been eating a ton of dark chocolate lately.....pretty tastey tbh but I really like the idea about going heavy on the white chocolate.

milk+sugar+cocoa butter=trifecta(at least for my palate...)
 

michael94

Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2015
Messages
2,419
I've been eating a ton of dark chocolate lately.....pretty tastey tbh but I really like the idea about going heavy on the white chocolate.

milk+sugar+cocoa butter=trifecta(at least for my palate...)
I went to the m&m "factory" as a child maybe 9 or 11 years old in las vegas with family. This was at the time when they had the white chocolate m&ms for the pirates of caribbean movie as a promo... I acquired a large bag and it was one of the most memorable food experiences of my life. As an adult I dont crave white chocolate as often but I think its because my health has deteriorated rather than "matured"
 

managing

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
2,262
What would be the best or purest source of stearic acid then?
you can buy "pure" stearic acid or, probably more accurately stated, isolated stearic acid. I have some. Its little granules that don't feel like a fat at all, but can be melted.

I had to look up mitochondrial fusion to discover what might be good about it:

"The shapes of mitochondria in cells are continually changing via a combination of fission, fusion, and motility. Specifically, fusion assists in modifying stress by integrating the contents of slightly damaged mitochondria as a form of complementation. By enabling genetic complementation, fusion of the mitochondria allows for two mitochondrial genomes with different defects within the same organelle to individually encode what the other lacks. In doing so, these mitochondrial genomes generate all of the necessary components for a functional mitochondrion.[2]"

Sounds pretty good.
 

raypeatclips

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2016
Messages
2,555
I'm not passing judgement on palmitic acid.
But, if you were interested in the seemingly positive (or interesting) effects of stearic acid mentioned in this article, you might wish to also consider what the article points out about palmitic acid.

The following two quotes pertaining to palmitic acid are pulled from the Abstract and Discussion in the initial post:

This is strange, as @haidut has posted many pro-palmitic acid threads in the past.

https://raypeatforum.com/community/...nhibits-cortisol-synthesis.13702/#post-189625
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...eases-oxidative-metabolism.17975/#post-243730
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...s-liver-cancer-progression.17974/#post-243725
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...nthesis-decreases-cortisol.15844/#post-215564
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...e-powerful-than-mildronate.17944/#post-243374
 

Hans

Member
Forum Supporter
Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
5,856
you can buy "pure" stearic acid or, probably more accurately stated, isolated stearic acid. I have some. Its little granules that don't feel like a fat at all, but can be melted.

I had to look up mitochondrial fusion to discover what might be good about it:

"The shapes of mitochondria in cells are continually changing via a combination of fission, fusion, and motility. Specifically, fusion assists in modifying stress by integrating the contents of slightly damaged mitochondria as a form of complementation. By enabling genetic complementation, fusion of the mitochondria allows for two mitochondrial genomes with different defects within the same organelle to individually encode what the other lacks. In doing so, these mitochondrial genomes generate all of the necessary components for a functional mitochondrion.[2]"

Sounds pretty good.
The study of specific changes in mitochondrial shape
showed that the loss of fusion or fission activity results in
dysfunctional mitochondria suggesting that morphology
and function of mitochondria are closely linked (Nunnari
& Suomalainen 2012). The importance of mitochondrial
fusion can be explained by the need for exchange of
intermembrane space and matrix contents between
mitochondria, so that defects and transient stresses
may be partially buffered.
https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&s...FjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw31FKljweN9R_Ka-Eu8LSY6

So when cells don't fuse, they become defective, shrink and lose function as seen in diabetes. So I think stearic acid could be a great tool for recovering from diabetes.
 

managing

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
2,262
The study of specific changes in mitochondrial shape
showed that the loss of fusion or fission activity results in
dysfunctional mitochondria suggesting that morphology
and function of mitochondria are closely linked (Nunnari
& Suomalainen 2012). The importance of mitochondrial
fusion can be explained by the need for exchange of
intermembrane space and matrix contents between
mitochondria, so that defects and transient stresses
may be partially buffered.
https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&s...FjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw31FKljweN9R_Ka-Eu8LSY6

So when cells don't fuse, they become defective, shrink and lose function as seen in diabetes. So I think stearic acid could be a great tool for recovering from diabetes.
:+1

This inspired me to try supplementing again with stearic acid. In the past its always made me feel irritable. But I have recently (thanks to RP himself) resolved a pretty significant Mg deficiency. So trying anything again is on the table. Only been 24 hrs, but I had a teaspoon 2x yesterday and once this morning so far. Feel great so far! Definitely boosts testosterone.
 

managing

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
2,262
1938 research study demonstrates that stearic acid (or its salts) enhances the effects of testosterone on secondary organs like prostate and seminal vesicles.

http://www.jbc.org/content/122/2/297.full.pdf

Added:

Stearic also inhibits tumor metastases (which we already knew) and reduced visceral fat (by ~70% in mice). It increased lean muscle mass significantly. In fact in a more or less 1:1 ratio (by weight) with the visceral fat). And, finally, it significantly reduced serum glucose.

The method of action appears to be that stearic induces apoptosis of pre-adipocytes. If I am understanding correctly, that means that as fat cells die naturally, they won't be likely to be replaced by new fat cells.

Dietary Stearic Acid Leads to a Reduction of Visceral Adipose Tissue in Athymic Nude Mice

I am taking 1-2 teaspoons of stearic acid before breakfast and again before dinner. I've felt amazing. When I tried this before, I'd get irritable after a few days. RP suggested Mg supplementation which has been amazing. See above. I hope others will try this and report back. I'll update.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom