Acute Effects of Standardized Oral Carbohydrate and Fat Loads, and the Association of Carbohydrate and Fat Loads, on Systemic Microvascular Endothelial Function in Healthy Individuals.

The chronic and elevated consumption of fat and carbohydrates is associated with the initiation and the progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. In general, chronic diseases are related to underlying modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, including high blood pressure, high plasma lipids and glucose, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, as well as smoking habits.

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is one of the earliest findings in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and also an important predictor of cardiovascular events. Moreover, it has already been demonstrated that acute oral ingestion of high loads of sugar and fat meals induces transient vascular endothelial dysfunction, which over time could lead to cardiovascular disease.

Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the individual contributions of sugar and fat ingestion on systemic microvascular endothelial reactivity.