Skip to content
Epomedicine
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

  • Medical Students
  • Bedside Clinics
  • Case Reports
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Blog
  • Surgical Skills
  • Medical Mnemonics
Epomedicine

Mnemonics, Simplified Concepts & Thoughts

Fatty Acid absorption

Fatty acid chain length and GI absorption site : Mnemonics

Epomedicine, Jul 15, 2018

Major fat absorption takes place in upper small intestine (mainly jejunum and duodenum) except short chain fatty acids which is abosrbed in colon.Fatty Acid absorption

MCT (Medium-Chain Triglyceride) – 10 to 12 Carbons long

  • May Cross Through enterocytes and pass directly into the “Portal” circulation

LCT (Long-Chain Triglyceride) – > 12 Carbons long

  • Lymph Can Transport after micelles are made (does not pass directly into the “Portal” circulation; it must first be solubilized into a micelle and taken into the lymph. It enters the blood stream when the lymph system dumps it into the superior vena cava.
  • Only LCT will contain essential fatty acids.

SCF (Short Chain Fats) – < 10 Carbons long

  • Synthesized from Colonic Fiber by colonic bacteria. They serve as Special Colon Food.
  • 60% are acetate, 25% are propionate and 15% are butyrate.

Normal fecal fat excretion is <6% per day. >7% fecal fat excretion per day is defined as steatorrhea.

Reference:

Aunt Cathy’s Guide to: Fatty Acid Chain Length and GI Absorption Site Mnemonics

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
PGMEE, MRCS, USMLE, MBBS, MD/MS Gastrointestinal systemPhysiology

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Epomedicine. Fatty acid chain length and GI absorption site : Mnemonics [Internet]. Epomedicine; 2018 Jul 15 [cited 2025 May 9]. Available from: https://epomedicine.com/medical-students/fatty-acid-chain-length-and-gi-absorption-site-mnemonics/.

Pre-clinical (Basic Sciences)

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Community medicine (PSM)

Embryology

Microbiology

Pathology

Pharmacology

Physiology

Clinical Sciences

Anesthesia

Dermatology

Emergency medicine

Forensic

Internal medicine

Gynecology & Obstetrics

Oncology

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Radiology

Surgery

RSS Ask Epomedicine

  • What to study for Clinical examination in Orthopedics?
  • What is the mechanism of AVNRT?

Epomedicine weekly

  • About Epomedicine
  • Contact Us
  • Author Guidelines
  • Submit Article
  • Editorial Board
  • USMLE
  • MRCS
  • Thesis
©2025 Epomedicine . All rights reserved.