The Real Villain Behind America's Obesity: Seed Oils

Guest essay from David Gornoski

From the Zero Acre blogsite “Are seed oils toxic?”:

• Industrial seed oils were invented when there was no meaningful health regulation, then became increasingly popular based on flawed research suggesting they were heart healthy.

• In the intervening 100+ years, numerous in vitro cell studies, animal studies, human clinical trials, and observational studies have demonstrated the toxic effects of seed oils and their byproducts created during heating.

• While there are a few possible benefits to seed oils, such as vitamin E, low amounts of omega-3 ALA, and reduction in cholesterol according to some studies, these properties aren't unique to seed oils and don't outweigh the potential for harm.

• Industrial seed oils are hard to avoid if you mainly eat food from restaurants and pre-packaged processed foods, but easy to avoid if you learn to read labels and do as much of your cooking as possible.

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The Real Villain Behind America's Obesity: Seed Oils

Guest essay from David Gornoski

In the ongoing debate about what fuels America's obesity crisis, sugar often finds itself in the dock, painted as the primary culprit. But is this fair? Let's delve deeper, beyond the surface accusations, and uncover the truth with insights from experts like the late Dr. Ray Peat, geneticist Brad Marshall, and Chris Knobbe MD. As a video journalist, radio broadcaster, and podcast host, I have pioneered the seed oil topic in the public discourse for many years. Along the way, I have developed a working relationship with the aforementioned researchers as well as other experts such as Prof. Bruce Hammock at UC Davis. I will provide a brief outline of some of my findings below.

The Misguided Sugar Narrative:

The mainstream narrative has long vilified sugar, pointing to it and saturated fats as the root of all dietary evil. However, this perspective oversimplifies a complex issue. Dr. Ray Peat, a pioneering physiologist, argued that it isn't sugar but seed oils that truly impair our metabolic health.

·Thyroid Function: Peat emphasized that seed oils, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly linoleic acid, suppress thyroid function. Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism; when disrupted, they lead to weight gain and metabolic slowdown. According to Peat, sugar, in contrast, supports thyroid function by providing the glucose necessary for energy production. This view is supported by research indicating that a diet high in PUFAs can indeed lead to lower thyroid hormone levels, exacerbating obesity (Ray Peat).

Understanding Mammalian Torpor:

Brad Marshall brings another dimension to this argument with his research on how seed oils induce a state akin to mammalian torpor in humans. Torpor is a survival mechanism, preparing animals for scarcity by lowering metabolic rate, accumulating fat, and conserving energy.

·Perpetual Pre-Hibernation: In humans, the continuous consumption of seed oils could be driving a perpetual state of pre-hibernation, where the body, under the influence of these oils, prepares for a scarcity that never comes. This leads to energy conservation and fat storage, not because of an excess of calories, but due to the body's misinterpreted survival response. Marshall's insights suggest that this condition might explain why even children today face unprecedented levels of obesity.

The Correlation of Seed Oils and Obesity:

Chris Knobbe MD, an ophthalmologist who identified seed oils' major role in AMD, has written and lectured all over the world about the overwhelming evidence that seed oils drive obesity across various populations. A chart he often references in his talks, clearly illustrates that while sugar consumption has remained relatively stable over the decades, the intake of seed oils has risen dramatically, paralleling the increase in obesity rates. This correlation is not just a coincidence but a telling sign that we've been focusing on the wrong dietary component when addressing obesity.

(Reprinted with permission from Chris Knobbe MD)

Evidence from Scientific Literature:

The connection between seed oil consumption and obesity is not merely theoretical but is backed by scientific research. For instance, a study published in Nature explored how high linoleic acid diets in rodents led to obesity without an increase in caloric intake, suggesting that the type of fat consumed is as crucial as the quantity. This study found that animals fed diets high in linoleic acid from soybean oil gained significantly more weight than those fed diets high in saturated fats, despite identical calorie intake (Nature).

Another pivotal animal study conducted at the University of California, Davis, focused on the metabolic effects of oxidized linoleic acid. The research showed that when mice were fed diets containing oxidized seed oils, they not only gained weight but also exhibited signs of metabolic syndrome, including insulin resistance and increased fat mass. The study concluded that the oxidation products from seed oils could be a direct cause of obesity and related metabolic diseases (UC Davis).

Further Animal Studies:

Research from the Journal of Lipid Research also corroborates these findings. In an experiment, rats were given diets where the fat source was predominantly linoleic acid-rich seed oils. Over time, these rats developed greater adiposity and insulin resistance compared to those fed diets with fats like coconut oil or olive oil, which are lower in PUFAs. The study highlighted that the metabolic disturbances were not solely due to caloric content but were linked to the specific fatty acid profile of the oils (Journal of Lipid Research).

Furthermore, a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the effects of dietary linoleic acid on human subjects. While not directly measuring obesity, it found that high linoleic acid intake was associated with increased markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, which are known precursors to obesity and metabolic syndrome (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition).

These studies collectively paint a picture where seed oils, through various biochemical pathways, contribute significantly to the obesity epidemic, challenging the long-held belief that sugar alone is to blame. By examining the primary sources and animal model research, we can see a consistent pattern where seed oils, particularly when oxidized, have a profound effect on metabolic health, urging a reevaluation of our dietary guidelines and consumption habits.

The Fried Food Fallacy:

Fried foods, often highlighted as highly obesogenic, provide a clear example of how seed oils contribute to obesity. However, the conversation usually stops at "fried foods are bad" without specifying why:

·Heating Seed Oils: When seed oils are heated, especially repeatedly as in commercial frying, they oxidize and form toxic compounds. These oxidized fats have been shown to promote inflammation, insulin resistance, and cellular damage, all of which contribute to obesity (Nature). This aspect is frequently overlooked in dietary discussions, leading to a misunderstanding of what makes fried foods harmful.

The Solution:

To combat this obesity epidemic, we need a paradigm shift:

1.Re-Evaluate the role of sugar in obesity and metabolic health (see Stanhope).

2.Encourage diets that are rich in whole foods, and free of highly processed foods.

3.Eliminate Seed Oils: Move away from industrial seed oils in our diets. Opt for traditional fats like coconut oil, butter, or animal fats which have been part of human diets for millennia without causing such widespread obesity.

4.Policy Changes:

·Remove Subsidies: End the subsidies that make seed oils artificially cheap and prevalent in our food supply.

·Revise Dietary Guidelines: Update the dietary guidelines to exclude seed oils, ensuring that public institutions like hospitals, schools, and military facilities are not inadvertently promoting obesity through subsidized, unhealthy fats. It's unacceptable that we're funding our own health decline by feeding seed oils to our children, the elderly in nursing homes, and our military personnel at taxpayers' expense.

5.Educational Campaigns: Educate the public and policymakers on the biochemical effects of seed oils, highlighting their role in metabolic dysfunction.

6.Research and Advocacy: Support research into the long-term effects of PUFAs and advocate for changes in food production, focusing on reducing the use of seed oils in processed and fast foods.

In summary, while sugar has its place in the conversation about health, the main dietary villain behind America's obesity has become the ubiquitous use of seed oils. These oils not only impair thyroid function but also trigger a survival mechanism meant for ancient times, leading to modern-day metabolic disorders.

With news of President-elect Trump's nomination of the brave Dr. Jay Bhattacharya for NIH director, perhaps we can have a Manhattan Project-level effort to further research into seed oils and high linoleic acid foods in general. In the meantime, it's time we shift our focus, our diets, and our policies to reflect the evidence that seed oils are driving obesity. Only then can we hope to reverse the metabolic disease trend plaguing our society.

Remember, in the quest for health, it's not just about what we add to our diet, but even more critically, what we need to remove.

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