More Evidence That Seed Oil Might Be Bad For Your Health

Low serum eicosapentaenoic acid / arachidonic acid ratio in male subjects with visceral obesity

Kana Inoue, Ken Kishida, Ayumu Hirata, Tohru Funahashi and Iichiro Shimomura

Nutrition & Metabolism 2013, 10:25 doi:10.1186/1743-7075-10-25
Published: 12 March 2013

Abstract (provisional)

Background
Visceral fat accumulation is caused by over-nutrition and physical inactivity. Excess accumulation of visceral fat associates with atherosclerosis. Polyunsaturated fatty acids have an important role in human nutrition, but imbalance of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially low eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) / arachidonic acid (AA) ratio, is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The present study investigated the correlation between EPA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), AA parameters and clinical features in male subjects.

Findings:
The study subjects were 134 Japanese with diabetes, hypertension and/or dyslipidemia who underwent measurement of visceral fat area (eVFA) by the bioelectrical impedance method and serum levels of EPA, DHA and AA. EPA/AA ratio correlated positively with age, and negatively with waist circumference and eVFA. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that age and eVFA correlated significantly and independently with serum EPA/AA ratio. Serum EPA/AA ratio, but not serum DHA/AA and (EPA+DHA)/AA ratios, was significantly lower in subjects with eVFA >=100 cm2, compared to those with eVFA <100 cm2 (p=0.049). Subjects with eVFA >=100 cm2 were significantly more likely to have the metabolic syndrome and history of cardiovascular diseases, compared to those with eVFA <100 cm2 (p<0.001, p=0.028, respectively).

Conclusions
Imbalance of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (low serum EPA/AA ratio) correlated with visceral fat accumulation in male subjects.

Or in other words:
Evidence that obese people consume disproportionate more seed oil than non-obese people.

The obese of the world have been eating seed oils like crazy the good patients they are, as ordered by the good doctors at the ADA and AHA.

What does that tell us about the advise of the ADA and AHA to consume more seed oil to avoid obesity? (Hint: It's a two letter word that starts with an capital B and ends with an capital S)

To rehash for all of you haven't internalized human essential fatty acid metabolism (shame on you):

Linoleic acid (LA) gets metabolized into arachidonic acid (AA).

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) gets metabolized into eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Seed oil has an high content in poly-unsaturated fatty acids "PUFAs" (seed oil has an high content of ALA, and even higher content of LA), and seed oil has a low ALA/LA ratio.

Consumption of seed oil (with its low ALA/LA ratio) will lead to a low EPA/AA ratio (like no other food) and it will increase the AA level like no other food.

And this low EPA/AA ratio (that plausibly could only be caused by seed oil) correlates with obesity.

You have been warned.

BTW: AA in turn gets metabolized into "series 2 prostaglandins" which are considered to be "more inflammatory" (red box above).

Furthermore PUFAs do negatively influence the carbohydrate metabolism and muck up the way insulin works (which will drive fat into fat cells).

And again:

No other food contains as much PUFAs as seed oil.

No other food allows you to raise your AA level like seed oil.

No other foods allows you to lower your EPA/AA ratio like seed oil.

So in my maybe not so humble opinion:
No other food besides seed oil is necessary to explain obesity.

Or put bluntly:
Obesity? Caused by increased seed oil consumption.

And look! Seed oil consumption has increased! Consumption of butter and lard have gone way down! We are doing what the ADA and AHA are telling us! Thank god!


And look! Obesity is up! Wonderful to see the marvellous advise of the ADA and AHA bearing such beautiful fruits!

 And look at this! Diabetes is going up like crazy! It brings water to my eyes to see the success of the ADA and AHA!

And look here! Heart disease is at an all time high! If that doesn't tell you that the ADA and AHA are doing a top job, I don't know what will.

So avoid seed oils, if you do not want to become obese and run the risk of getting other "diseases of civilization".

If on the other hand you do want to become obese, then follow the advise of the ADA and AHA and make sure you consume lots and lots of seed oil.

One more thing, while we are at it: If you think you are a bird or a mouse – and who am I to judge – then I guess eating nothing but seeds (and the occasional bottle of cold-pressed olive oil) is a viable and healthy diet for you and other members of your species – but please don't counsel humans on their nutrition.