脂(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)肪(fang)酸(suan)(suan)分為長、中、短鏈(lian)(lian)三種。中鏈(lian)(lian)和(he)短鏈(lian)(lian)脂(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)肪(fang)酸(suan)(suan)比長鏈(lian)(lian)更(geng)容易受到人(ren)體脂(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)肪(fang)酶的攻擊而被消(xiao)化吸(xi)收。另(ling)外,中鏈(lian)(lian)脂(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)肪(fang)酸(suan)(suan)有獨(du)特的吸(xi)收機(ji)制(zhi),可以(yi)不經胰(yi)腺酶和(he)膽鹽的消(xiao)化而在小腸直(zhi)接(jie)被吸(xi)收,事實上中鏈(lian)(lian)脂(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)肪(fang)酸(suan)(suan)臨床上已經使用在吸(xi)收功能障(zhang)礙(ai)和(he)腸道功能紊亂患(huan)者以(yi)及早產嬰兒(er)上。
山(shan)(shan)羊(yang)奶中鏈脂肪酸的含(han)量是(shi)牛奶的兩倍。其中三(san)種(zhong)主(zhu)要中鏈脂肪酸C6,C8 和(he)C10甚至(zhi)是(shi)以山(shan)(shan)羊(yang)(Caprine,山(shan)(shan)羊(yang)的拉丁語拼寫)命(ming)名的,分別(bie)是(shi)Caproic, Caprylic 和(he)Capric,在山(shan)(shan)羊(yang)奶中占總脂肪酸的15%,而牛奶只(zhi)有5%.