Effects of prolonged ingestion of dodecanoic or lauric acid on the secretion of fatty acids in the rat mammary gland]

Dodecanoic or lauric acid (C 12 : 0) ingestion before and during lactation causes profound changes in the fatty-acid secretion by Rat mammary gland. Lauric acid concentration in milk lipids may reach 35% of total fatty-acids; saturated fatty-acids represent 80% of total secreted fatty-acids. When exogenous lauric acid supply is given, mammary tissue does not efficiently regulate the qualitative aspects of fatty-acid secretion.