Blood biomarker for dietary trans fats predicts dementia, Alzheimer's disease
Higher serum levels of elaidic acid, an objective biomarker for industrial trans fat, are associated with an increased risk for developing all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease.
FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:
Industrially produced trans fats are a by-product of hydrogenation - the process used to solidify the texture of cheap liquid 'vegetable' (seed) oils for their use as substitutes for butter, lard or other natural fats.Hydrogenated vegetable oils - and the trans fats created by partial hydrogenation - were used abundantly by the food industry for decades - in margarines, spreads and other 'ultra-procesed foods'. From 2006 onwards, most developed countries began to ban trans fats - or at least restrict them to minimal levels (e.g. 0.5% of total fat in food products) as the evidence of their toxicity became completely undeniable.
For more details, see the FAB Factsheet - Hydrogenated and Trans Fats.
However, these fats are still found in many ultra-processed foods - and even small amounts can add up and may still pose health risks, as findings from this new Japanese study suggest.
In a community-based sample of adults aged 60+ years who were initially free of dementia, those with higher blood markers of consumption of industrially produced trans fats had a 50% higher risk of developing any form of dementia, or Alzheimer's disease specficially, over the following 10 years.
Trans fats are rarely even mentioned these days, so that many consumers remain unaware of the risks that these toxic fats pose to both physical and mental health. Those wishing to avoid them need to avoid any foods labelled as containing 'partially hydrogenated vegetable oils' - and ultra-processed foods in general, as well as fast foods (especially fried foods) and takeaways.
The main foods contributing to high blood levels of trans fats in this new study from Japan included sweet pastries, margarine, candies and caramels, croissants, non-dairy creamers, ice cream and rice crackers.
For details of this research, see:
More articles and research papers on trans fats can be found here.
Higher serum levels of elaidic acid, an objective biomarker for industrial trans fat, are associated with an increased risk for developing all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in Neurology.
Takanori Honda, Ph.D., from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues examined the prospective correlation between serum elaidic acid (trans 18:1 n-9) levels and incident dementia in 1,628 Japanese community residents aged 60 years and older without dementia. Participants underwent screening examination in 2002 to 2003 and were followed prospectively to November 2012.
The researchers found that 377 participants developed some type of dementia during follow-up. After adjustment for traditional risk factors, significant correlations were seen for higher serum elaidic acid levels with greater risk for developing all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease. After adjustment for dietary factors, including total energy intake and intakes of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, these associations remained significant. There was no significant correlation noted for serum elaidic acid levels and vascular dementia.
"Public health policy to augment food industry efforts to reduce trans fatty acids in the food supply and to educate the public about healthy food choices may additively contribute to the primary prevention of dementia," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to Sysmex Corporation.
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