The effect of kind of carbohydrate in the diet and use of oral contraceptives on metabolism of young women. II. Serum lipid levels.

ABSTRACT

PIP: The response of lipids in the blood between 2 groups of 6 young women, ages 19-25, was compared. Group 1 took (OCS) oral contraceptives and group 2 had never taken OCS. 2 experimental diets supplied about 13% of the calories from protein, 36% from fat, and 51% from carbohydrates. Of the carbohydrate, 84% was either sucrose or wheat starch. Each diet was administered for 4 weeks in a cross-over design. In a portion of the research here presented, subjects were fed a high sucrose meal before each dietary period and after weeks 1 and 3 of each dietary period. Blood lipids were measured before and 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after each meal. Cholesterol and lipoproteins were not affected by the sucrose meal, but free fatty acid levels decreased significantly in both groups. The serum levels of triglycerides, beta-lipoproteins, and cholesterol were significantly higher in users of OCS than in non-users. Free fatty acid levels were affected by an interaction between diet and time, and the decrease in response was geater after the sucrose than after the wheat starch diet. Triglycerides, cholesterol, and total lipids were not significantly different after the 2 carbohydrate diets.