Diacylglycerol Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Diacylglycerol (often shortened to DAG) is a type of fat made of a glycerol backbone attached to two fatty acids. This is different from the more common fat in our diet, triacylglycerol (TAG or triglyceride), which has three fatty acids. DAG occurs naturally in small amounts in many vegetable oils and other foods.

In the late 1990s and 2000s, special cooking oils made mostly of diacylglycerol (commonly from soybean and rapeseed/canola oils) were sold and marketed as a way to help manage weight and body fat. These products were used much like regular cooking oil — for frying, baking, and salad dressings.

It is important to know that DAG is not an herb or a traditional plant medicine. It is a processed fat ingredient. Interest in it has faded in many markets, partly because of safety questions explained below.

The proposed idea is that diacylglycerol is digested and absorbed a little differently than regular triglyceride fat. After you eat normal triglycerides, your body reassembles them in the gut and packages them for storage. Researchers suggested that the structure of DAG (especially a form called 1,3-diacylglycerol) might lead the body to burn more of the fat for energy and store less of it.

Some laboratory and animal studies pointed to small effects on fat metabolism and the way the body handles fat after a meal. These mechanisms are largely theoretical and have not been shown to produce big or reliable real-world benefits in people.

Because diacylglycerol is a normal part of many edible oils, eating the small amounts found naturally in foods is considered safe. As a concentrated cooking oil, it was used in cooking like any other oil.

A key concern is that a well-known commercial DAG cooking oil was voluntarily withdrawn from sale after testing found higher levels of a substance called glycidol fatty acid esters, which can form during oil processing and is a possible safety concern. This is a reason to be cautious about concentrated DAG oil products.

For pregnancy and breastfeeding, there is not enough safety information on concentrated DAG products, so it is best to avoid using them for health or weight purposes and stick with ordinary dietary fats. People with diabetes, liver or kidney problems, or those on special diets should talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using any specialty oil product.

When used like a normal cooking oil, diacylglycerol oil was generally well tolerated in studies. Like any fat or oil, eating large amounts could cause digestive upset, such as bloating, loose stools, or stomach discomfort.

The more serious concern is not a typical side effect but the possible contaminant (glycidol esters) that led to a major product being pulled from the market. Because of this, long-term safety of concentrated DAG oil is not well established.

There is no established or standardized dose of diacylglycerol for any health benefit. When sold as a cooking oil, it was simply used in place of regular oil in everyday cooking.

If you come across a diacylglycerol product, follow the label directions and do not assume that using more will give you any extra benefit. Because the evidence for benefit is weak and there have been safety concerns, check with your pharmacist or doctor before using it for weight or health reasons.