Comparative analysis of postprandial changes in the lipidome of capillary plasma and dry blood spots of young women

Abstract Purpose The postprandial period provides a dynamic window to assess metabolic function, as nutrient intake elicits measurable shifts in metabolism, that can be used to assess health status. Traditional venipuncture, though standard for blood sampling, poses practical limitations for postprandial studies that require repeated collections. This study evaluated the feasibility of using dry blood spots (DBS) as a minimally invasive alternative for monitoring postprandial lipemia, which can vary significantly after the intake of high-fat meals. Methods Ten young women (26.1 ± 4.5 years) participated in a controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate lipidomic responses to a standardized, energy-dense meal using both DBS and capillary plasma samples. An analytical method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-TOFMS) was employed for the quantitative profiling of lipid species. Results The postprandial lipidome derived from DBS and plasma samples exhibited high concordance, with triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acids (FFA) standing out among 18 identified lipid classes as the most responsive to food intake in both matrices. Postprandial TG concentrations increased by 64% in plasma and 34% in DBS, while FFAs decreased by 36% and 14%, respectively. In addition, DBS-specific postprandial lipidomic signatures were observed, including alterations in the levels of glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids, along with a peculiar kinetic pattern of phosphatidylethanolamines levels following food intake. Conclusion These findings highlight the suitability of DBS for capturing postprandial lipidomic changes in circulation, particularly in TG and FFA levels, and support its utility as a practical and scalable tool for metabolic phenotyping in nutritional research, population studies, and clinical monitoring.