Small levels of medium-chain fats in blood and no better time trial performance after eating fats

Performance times after consuming carbohydrates plus specific structured triacylglycerols were similar to those after carbohydrates alone, averaging 50.0 +/- 1.8 and 50.8 +/- 3.6 minutes, respectively.

• Intake of specific structured triacylglycerols, a mixture of medium- and long-chain fatty acids, did not improve cycling performance compared to carbohydrate intake alone.
• No plasma 8:0 fatty acid was detected in any lipid classes, suggesting limited availability in circulation after intake of medium-chain fatty acids.
• A significant increase in the level of plasma phospholipid fatty acids was observed after consuming carbohydrates plus structured triacylglycerols compared to carbohydrates only.
• The lack of performance enhancement from medium-chain fatty acids may be linked to the absence of 8:0 in the bloodstream.

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