medium-chain triglyceride lipid emulsion

Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) lipid emulsion is an investigational nutritional and metabolic agent used in clinical research to study lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity. It consists of triacylglycerols containing medium-chain fatty acids (typically C6–C12), which are metabolized differently than long-chain triglycerides (LCT). Unlike LCTs, MCTs are rapidly oxidized and do not typically accumulate as intramyocellular triacylglycerols (IMTG) or generate lipid intermediates like ceramides that impair insulin signaling. In studies conducted by NUTRIM - Maastricht University, MCT/LCT emulsions were administered intravenously to healthy subjects during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps to investigate the mechanisms of lipid-induced insulin resistance. The research aimed to determine whether muscle fat accumulation per se is the primary driver of insulin resistance, finding that MCT/LCT infusion still induced insulin resistance despite the lack of IMTG accumulation.

Other names

MCT lipid emulsionmedium-chain triacylglycerol lipid emulsionMCT/LCT emulsion