Side Effects of a Low-fat Diet
Apr 04, 2011 03:12PM
● By
Dr. Deepti Sadhwani
Low-fat diets have been widely promoted for lowering cholesterol levels, for reducing body weight, and for preventing certain types of cancer. At least one study, however, has found that although a reduction in cholesterol may reduce mortality from heart disease it may increase the incidence of fatal accidents, violent deaths, suicides, and depression. Researchers at the University of Arizona now believe that they may have found an explanation for this phenomenon. They point out that fat restriction and cholesterol-lowering drugs may change the concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the tissues including nerve tissue (neurons). Fat-restricting diets usually lead to a relative increase in the intake of omega-6 PUFAs and a relative decrease in the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. This can have serious consequences in as much as the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) found in fish oils, are crucial for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Several large-scale studies have found a clear association between low blood levels of EPA and DHA and an increased risk of depression, violence and suicide; a recent study in Japan found that DHA supplementation reduced aggression among healthy Japanese students.
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