Health Effects of Trans Fats

Trans fat has become a pivotal reason for the development of increased obesity in the United States and around the world. Present in most fried fast-food choices, trans fat has a number of adverse health effects on individuals that eat more than the recommended amount (2% of all calories) in their daily diet. Below are the most common problems associated with trans fat.

Coronary Heart Disease

• Individuals that eat an excessive amount of trans fat in their normal diets are much more susceptible to heart disease than those that do not. In 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine determined in a study that an individuals risk for heart disease nearly doubled for each 2% increase in trans fat calories consumed. In comparison, the same study found that it would take a 15% increase in saturated fat to produce the same results.

Increased Cholesterol

• High consumption of trans fat has also been shown to increase cholesterol levels in individuals. For those unfamiliar, cholesterol is measured in LDL (bad cholesterol) to HDL (good cholesterol) ratios. Similar to saturated fats, trans fats raised the level of LDL in those that consumed it. However, unlike saturated fats, trans fat also reduced the HDL ratio at the same time, making the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol increase to unsafe levels.

C-Reactive Proteins

• C-reactive proteins, or proteins that are a byproduct of inflammation in the blood, have also been shown at elevated levels after mass consumption of trans fat. A Journal of Nutrition study found that CRP blood levels were 73% higher in those than consumed high levels of trans fat than those that consumed the recommended amount. If CRP levels become too high for an extended period of time, serious internal problems and even death have been known to result.

Risk of Diabetes

• Trans fat consumption can also lead to an increased risk for type II diabetes in some individuals. Type II diabetes occurs when the body is not able to produce enough insulin, which in turn is needed for the body to produce energy. Higher than normal levels of fat consumption also tend to lead to increased amounts of sugar in the blood. Whenever an unhealthy diet of sugars and fats is being consumed, the possibility of developing diabetes exists.

Warning

• Please do not consume more than the recommended amount of trans fat per day.

  If you have been consuming high levels of trans fat and did not realize the health effects, please consult a doctor to ensure that none of these side effects have already begun to effect your body.

  Always check the labels of foods before purchasing to check and see if the food contains trans fat.