Myristic acid

Myristic acid is a saturated fatty acid with 14 carbon atoms, therefore known as tetradecanoic acid. Myristic acid therefore belongs to the category of long chain fatty acids.

The name derives from Myristica fragrans, a tropical tree from which the nutmeg is obtained.

In this spice, myristic acid reaches very high concentrations, up to 70-80% of the accidic fraction. In smaller quantities, myristic acid also abounds in tropical oils, especially in palm and coconut, and in animal fats (cheese and meat). The myristic acid content of other seed oils (sunflower, peanut, soy, etc.) is negligible.

Myristic acid is credited with the unedifying ability to enhance the atherogenic effect of cholesterol, increasing its plasma levels; this characteristic, in fact, is not up to all saturated fats, but only to some. Excluded for their metabolic peculiarity those with a shorter chain (which together with stearic have little effect on cholesterolemia), the greater atherogenic power is attributed to palmitic acid, stearic acid and lauric acid (although the latter, increasing good cholesterol more than bad, has recently shown interesting protective properties on cardiovascular diseases).

Myristic acid is used in the production of soaps and cosmetics, given that its salts (sodium and potassium) have foaming properties. One of its ester, isopropyl miristrate, is instead used in topical preparations to favor cutaneous absorption of active ingredients.

The graph on the side shows the effects of replacing one percent of the daily calories derived from carbohydrates with one percent of calories supplied by the related fatty acids. It is noted, as anticipated, the hyper-cholesterol-lowering effect of myristic acid, which increases total cholesterol, especially by raising the LDL fraction (bad cholesterol).