Lauric Acid Improves Insulin Resistance State in Diet-induced Obese Mice

Insulin resistance, which is predominantly a result of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), is a decreased biological response to insulin stimulation of target tissues, particularly the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Lauric acid is a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) with 12-carbon atoms that is prevalent in coconut and palm kernel oil. It has several health benefits. This study aimed to investigate the effects of oral gavage of lauric acid on body weight, calorie intake and insulin resistance. The mice were fed HFD for eight consecutive weeks, whereas the control group was fed a normal chow diet. Two groups of mice received lauric acid administration (12 and 24 mg/kg orally) and one group received rosiglitazone (20 mg/kg) concurrently with HFD for the subsequent eight weeks. Lauric acid co-treatment was shown to reduce body weight and calorie intake, as well as significantly reduce the insulin levels and HOMA-IR score when compared to HFD-fed mice. This proves the promising role of lauric acid in improving insulin resistance in the mice model. © 2025, Semarak Ilmu Publishing. All rights reserved.