Association of circulating branched chain fatty acids with insulin sensitivity and beta cell function in the PROMISE cohort.

Branched chain fatty acids (BCFAs) are mainly saturated fatty acids with a methyl branch on the penultimate or antepenultimate carbon atom. While BCFAs are endogenously produced via the catabolism of branched chain amino acids, the primary exogenous source of BCFAs in the human body is via the diet, including dairy products. Recently, BCFAs have been identified as having a potentially protective role in the etiology of cardiometabolic disorders although current literature is limited.