Journal Name:
Am. J. Clin Nutr.
Article Title:
Home use of vegetable oils, markers of systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction among women
Date Written:
2008
Volume:
88
Number:
4
Page:
913
Author(s):
Esmaillzadeh, A.; Azadbakht, L.
Article:
Systemic inflammation was recently reported to be involved in the incidence of atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. Elevated concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-18 are of particular importance. Elevated inflammation is associated with dietary intakes of trans fatty acids (TFAs). TFAs are associated with higher concentrations of CRP, soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), and E-selectin
among overweight women and with higher concentrations of IL-6 among patients with established heart disease. Detrimental effects of TFAs were also confirmed in feeding trials.
TFAs exist in large amounts in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (PHVOs). Dietary habits of Iranians provide a unique opportunity to identify adverse health effects of PHVOs, because the average per-person intake of PHVOs among Iranians is about 14 g/1000 kcal with TFAs accounting for 33% of total fatty acids in these products. Previous investigations have shown that Iranians consume twice as much TFAs as the US population.
Most information about adverse health effects of trans fats was mainly derived from studies done in Western populations of European or American origins; few data are available in the region of the Middle East. In this study, the association between consumption of partially PHVOs and non-HVOs and circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers among Tehrani women aged 40-60 y was assessed. Usual dietary intakes were assessed with a food-frequency questionnaire among 486 apparently healthy women. PHVOs (commonly used for cooking in Iran) were considered as PHVOs category. Sunflower oil, corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and olive oil were defined as non-HVOs.
The energy-adjusted daily intakes of PHVOs and non-HVOs were 23 +/- 11 and 22 +/- 10 g/d, respectively. After control for potential confounders, women in the highest quintile of PHVO intake had higher plasma concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP; percentage difference from lowest quintile: 45%), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; 66%), interleukin-6 (72%), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1; 22%) than did women in the lowest quintile. In contrast, higher consumption of non-HVOs was associated with lower circulating concentrations of CRP (percentage difference between top and bottom quintiles: -23%), TNF-alpha (-29%), serum amyloid A (-24%), and sICAM-1 (-19%).
Higher intakes of PHVOs are associated with elevated concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers, whereas higher intakes of non-HVOs such as canola oil are associated with lower plasma concentrations of these biomarkers. Higher intakes of PHVOs were shown to increase the risk of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes. Findings from this study suggest that inflammatory processes are a possible mechanism through which these kinds of fats can elevate the risk of these chronic diseases.
Further the omega 3 fatty acid content of the non-HVOs may play a role in reducing inflammatory biomarkers. A recent report has shown that rapid declines in the rate of mortality from coronary heart disease in Eastern Europe are associated with increased consumption of ALA. Published clinical trials also report beneficial effects of ALA on systemic inflammation – specifically decreased CRP, IL-6, sVCAM-1, and E-selectin. These findings suggest inflammation as a potential mechanism through which consumption of PHVOs and non-HVOs might affect insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, and diabetes.
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