Intralipid 20%

Intralipid 20% is a sterile, non-pyrogenic fat emulsion used clinically for parenteral nutrition and experimentally as a tool to induce acute insulin resistance in physiological research. In studies conducted by the University of Minnesota, such as 'Training Effects on Muscle Fatty Acid Metabolism,' it is administered intravenously to healthy volunteers to elevate plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) to levels typically observed in metabolic disorders. This experimental model allows researchers to investigate the mechanisms of lipotoxicity, the accumulation of intramyocellular lipid metabolites (including triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, and ceramides), and the subsequent impairment of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. The intervention is frequently used to compare metabolic responses between sedentary and endurance-trained individuals to understand how physical activity modulates lipid-induced insulin resistance, a key precursor to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Brand names

Intralipid

Other names

20% lipid infusionintravenous fat emulsionlipid emulsion