PhD defence: The Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Dietary Medium-Chain Triacylglycerol
Josephine Maria Kanta Hviid
PhD thesis
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) are a subtype of saturated fatty acids that differ substantially from the more common long-chain triglycerides (LCT) in their absorption, metabolism, and capacity to rapidly induce ketogenesis, suggesting potentially distinct physiological effects compared with longer saturated fats.
This PhD project investigated the metabolic, hematological, and cardiovascular effects of MCT intake in humans across different health states, supported by mechanistic insights from complementary animal work.
The findings demonstrate that MCT intake acutely improves postprandial glucose regulation, increases energy expenditure, and elevates circulating erythropoietin in humans, while also enhancing cardiac function in patients with heart failure. In mice, chronic MCT intake preserved cardiac performance compared with LCT intake. Together, these results indicate health beneficial effects of MCT, and that not all saturated fatty acids exert uniform biological effects, highlighting important functional differences within this nutrient class.
2025, 210 pages.
TIme
20 November 2025, 15:15
Place
August Krogh Building, Auditorium 1, Universitetsparken 13, DK-2100 Copenhagen.
Assessment Committee
Professor Ylva Hellsten (chair), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Professor Ellen Blaak, Department of Human Biology, Human Biology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Associate Professor Esben Søndergaard, Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine, and Steno Diabetes, Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Supervisor
Professor Bente Kiens, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Co-supervisor
Associate Professor Andreas Mæchel Fritzen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Copy of thesis
Ask for a copy of the thesis here: Josephine.kanta@sund.ku.dk