Optimal Result:
9 - 12 wt %.
Stearic acid (SA) is a saturated fatty acid with an 18-carbon backbone (18:0). Although it is mainly abundant in animal fat, cocoa butter and shea butter are also very high in SA. It is also commonly used in detergents, soaps, cosmetics, shampoos, and shaving cream. Additionally, it can be synthesized in the body from palmitic acid. SA is not a strong substrate to make triglycerides compared to other saturated fatty acids and it generates a lower lipemic response. As compared to other saturated fats, SA doesn’t raise plasma LDL cholesterol. This may be due to absorption of SA and the amount of energy metabolized from it. In fact, SA may have some beneficial effects in regulating mitochondrial morphology and function, though these mechanisms are still being studied. The American Heart Association recognizes that a diet low in trans fats from industrial food sources and low in saturated fatty acids is optimal for cardiovascular health. SA is being studied as a solid-fat alternative to trans fatty acids in baking goods and shortenings since it is transfree, oxidatively stable, and doesn’t raise LDL cholesterol. (Unsaturated fats are not suitable for solid fat applications but are suitable for liquid fat applications, like frying.) However, the safety of using SA substitutes in industrial products is still being studied and debated.
References:
- Zhen Z, Xi TF, Zheng YF. 11 - Surface modification by natural biopolymer coatings on magnesium alloys for biomedical applications. In: Narayanan TSNS, Park I-S, Lee M-H, eds. Surface Modification of Magnesium and its Alloys for Biomedical Applications. Woodhead Publishing; 2015:301-333.
- Sampath H, Ntambi JM. The fate and intermediary metabolism of stearic acid. Lipids. 2005;40(12):1187-1191.
- Senyilmaz-Tiebe D, Pfaff DH, Virtue S, et al. Dietary stearic acid regulates mitochondria in vivo in humans. Nature communications. 2018;9(1):3129.
- Hunter JE, Zhang J, Kris-Etherton PM. Cardiovascular disease risk of dietary stearic acid compared with trans, other saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids: a systematic review. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 2009;91(1):46-63.
- Baer DJ, Judd JT, Kris-Etherton PM, Zhao G, Emken EA. Stearic Acid Absorption and Its Metabolizable Energy Value Are Minimally Lower than Those of Other Fatty Acids in Healthy Men Fed Mixed Diets. The Journal of Nutrition. 2003;133(12):4129-4134.
- Aro A, Jauhiainen M, Partanen R, Salminen I, Mutanen M. Stearic acid, trans fatty acids, and dairy fat: effects on serum and lipoprotein lipids, apolipoproteins, lipoprotein (a), and lipid transfer proteins in healthy subjects. The American journal of clinical nutrition. 1997;65(5):1419- 1426.
Lab Results Explained and Tracked
What does it mean if your Stearic C18:0 result is too high?
SA levels may be high with dietary intake, or through absorption of commercial products containing it. Because it can also be synthesized from palmitic acid, a diet generally rich in saturated fats can contribute to higher levels. Saturated fatty acid levels are associated with many cardiometabolic conditions. SA alone seems not to exert the same detrimental effects as is seen with other saturated fatty acids, though these are often contained in foods alongside each other. SA itself can elevate serum lipoprotein(a), though to a lesser extent than trans fats.
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What does it mean if your Stearic C18:0 result is too low?
Decreased intake of foods containing saturated fatty acids, or SA specifically, can contribute to low levels. Because it can also be made from palmitic acid, lack of vitamin or mineral cofactors for the elongase enzyme, or an enzymatic SNP, might also be implicated in lower levels. Clinically, lower levels have not been extensively studied in relation to disease.
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