Scientists have ruled out a link between trans fats and the risk of heart disease

Trans fats are considered one of the factors associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, but they may have different origins. The scientists analyzed data on trans fatty acids, which are naturally found in dairy products, and compared their effects with what is known about industrial trans fats. About how different types of trans fats differ and how natural forms are associated with the risk of diseases, see the Izvestia article.

Not all trans fats are the same: what scientists have studied

The work was published in the scientific journal Nutrition Research. The researchers conducted a systematic review of 22 papers involving thousands of people from Europe, Canada, and the United States. The analysis included both controlled nutrition studies and long-term observations.

The authors of the study separately studied trans fats from dairy products, since industrial forms have already been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

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Dairy trans fats did not change the main indicators of fats in the blood

The first part of the analysis included 10 controlled trials. In them, participants consumed dairy products with an increased natural content of trans fats, after which the indicators were compared with the results of people who received regular dairy products. The amount of trans fats in the diet ranged from 1.3 to 13.2 grams per day.

The scientists evaluated the indicators of lipid metabolism, which are used to assess cardiovascular risk. In general, there were no significant differences between the two groups in most indicators. The only exception was a slight decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels when eating foods with a high content of dairy trans fats.

Long-term observations did not show an increase in the risk of diseases

The second part of the work included 12 prospective cohort studies. In them, scientists tracked the health status of participants for a long time, in some cases for more than 20 years, and compared the indicators of trans fatty acids in the blood with subsequent diseases.

Higher concentrations of trans fats originating from dairy products were not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes. They also found no association between higher levels of these substances in the blood and the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.

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The origin of trans fats matters

The results show that different sources of trans fatty acids do not necessarily have the same effect on the body. Natural trans fats from dairy products in the analyzed studies did not demonstrate the adverse associations with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases that were previously observed for industrial trans fats.

However, the authors do not claim that dairy trans fats have a protective effect. The results suggest that there is no identified association with an increased risk of the diseases studied.

What conclusions did the authors draw?

The authors note that the results may help to more accurately assess different sources of trans fats and not automatically combine them into one category. Overall, the analysis did not reveal an adverse association between trans fats from dairy products and the main studied indicators of cardiovascular and metabolic health.

At the same time, a significant part of the long-term data was obtained in observational studies. They allow us to identify statistical relationships, but they do not prove a cause-and-effect effect. Therefore, the work does not show that consuming dairy trans fats prevents diseases or improves health.