What kind of fat makes heart gunk worse in mice?
Dietary monounsaturated fatty acids promote aortic atherosclerosis in LDL receptor-null, human ApoB100-overexpressing transgenic mice.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) did not reduce atherosclerosis compared to saturated fats and performed worse than polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats are widely promoted as heart-healthy, especially in Mediterranean diets. This result contradicts that common belief — at least in this high-LDL mouse model.
Practical Takeaways
Prioritize foods rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fats (like fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts) for heart health, especially if you have high cholesterol.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Monounsaturated fats (like olive oil) did not reduce atherosclerosis compared to saturated fats and performed worse than polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated fats are widely promoted as heart-healthy, especially in Mediterranean diets. This result contradicts that common belief — at least in this high-LDL mouse model.
Practical Takeaways
Prioritize foods rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fats (like fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts) for heart health, especially if you have high cholesterol.
Publication
Journal
Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
Year
1998
Authors
L. Rudel, K. Kelley, J. Sawyer, R. Shah, Martha D. Wilson
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Claims (3)
In mice genetically prone to heart disease, eating certain fats like those in margarine or some oils led to more artery gunk after 16 weeks compared to other fats found in fish or nuts.
In a type of lab mouse that’s prone to heart disease, eating healthy fats like those in fish or vegetable oils led to less buildup in the arteries after 16 weeks compared to eating saturated fats like butter or lard.
In a type of lab mouse with high cholesterol, eating fats like olive oil doesn’t help reduce artery damage any more than eating fats like butter — both lead to about the same amount of fatty buildup in the arteries after 16 weeks.