It Is The PUFA Overconsumption, Not The n-6/n-3 Ratio, Stupid!

Science – do an experiment, find out things:

Metabolic markers in Ossabaw pigs fed high fat diets enriched in regular or low α-linolenic acid soy oil

Ramesh B Potu, Hang Lu, Olayiwola Adeola and Kolapo M Ajuwon*

Abstract

Background
Soy oil is a major vegetable oil consumed in the US. A recently developed soybean variety produces oil with a lower concentration of α-linolenic acid, hence a higher (n-6)/(n-3) ratio, than regular soy oil. The study was conducted to determine the metabolic impact of the low α-linolenic acid containing soy oil.
Methods

Ossabaw pigs were fed diets supplemented with either 13% regular soybean oil (SBO), or 13% of the low α-linolenic soybean oil (LLO) or a control diet (CON) without extra oil supplementation, for 8 weeks.

Results
Serum and adipose tissue α-linolenic acid concentration was higher in pigs fed the SBO diet than those on the CON and LLO diets. In the serum, the concentration of saturated fatty acids (SFA) was lower in the LLO group than in CON and SBO groups polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration was higher in the LLO group compared to CON and SBO groups. Glucose, insulin, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol were higher in pigs fed the SBO diet than those fed the CON and LLO diets. HDL-cholesterol was lower in pigs on the SBO diet than those on the CON and LLO diets. Pigs fed SBO and LLO diets had lower CRP concentration than those on the CON diet. Adipose tissue expression of Interleukin 6 (IL-6) was higher in the SBO and LLO diets than the CON. Expression of ECM genes, COLVIA and fibronectin, was significantly reduced in the SBO diet relative to the CON and LLO diets whereas expression of inflammation-related genes, cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), was not different across treatments.

Conclusions
Results suggest that lowering the content of α-linolenic acid in the context of a high fat diet could lead to mitigation of development of hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia without significant effects on adipose tissue inflammation.

For those of you who don't know right of the back of their heads, α-linolenic acid is an Omega-3 fatty acid (n-3). So a lower consumption of it makes the n-6/n-3 ratio higher – with a higher n-6/n-3 ratio usually considered (erroneously) to be the main problems with seed oils. Yet a lower consumption of only this fatty acid decreases the absolute amount of PUFAs consumed – and that seems to be beneficial (if you are an mammal).

Let me put this in other words: Lower PUFA consumption (even Omega-3!), means better health. 

If you are not an mammal, or if your livelihood depends on selling PUFA supplements in the form of fish oil or seed oil (I'm looking at you USDA, ADA and AHA), then go ahead and advertise an increased PUFA consumption. I just hope that in everybody's interest that you die of natural causes before people start to pick up pitchforks.