Little Effect of Supplementation with 0.6% Energy <i>Trans</i> Fatty Acids on Serum Cholesterol Levels in Adult Japanese Women

Abstract

SummaryThe excessive intake of trans fatty acids (TFAs) increases serum LDL-cholesterol and reduces HDL-cholesterol. Limited data exist regarding the low-level intake of TFAs, and the tolerable upper-limit level remains to be fully elucidated. A randomized, double-blind, parallel trial was conducted to assess the effects of a low level of TFA supplementation on serum cholesterol levels in healthy adult Japanese women. The volunteers who participated in this examination took in approximately 0.4% of energy (%E) TFAs from daily meals. Fiftyone volunteers consumed one cookie containing 0.6%E (TFA) or 0.04%E (control) of TFAs every day for 4 wk, and blood was harvested after overnight fasting. The mean TFA intakes of the control and TFA groups during the experimental period were 0.4%E and 1.1%E, respectively. There were no significant differences in serum total, LDL-or HDL-cholesterol levels between the control and TFA groups. The serum glucose and insulin levels were not influenced by TFA supplementation. These results confirm that dietary supplementation with 0.6%E TFAs (a total TFA intake of approximately 1%E) would have little effect on serum cholesterol levels in healthy adult Japanese women.

IndustrialTransFatty Acid and Serum Cholesterol: The Allowable Dietary Level

“…Again, there were no significant differences in serum total, LDL- or HDL-cholesterol levels between the control and TFA groups. The results of this trial and our other trial described above [ 49 , 50 ] indicate that dietary supplementation with 0.6% E industrial TFAs (a total TFA intake of approx. 1% E ) would have little effect on serum cholesterol levels in young and adult healthy subjects.…”

“…Under the same protocol [ 50 ], we conducted a randomized, double-blind parallel trial to assess the effects of 0.6% E industrial TFA supplementation on serum cholesterol levels in healthy adult Japanese women (44.6 ± 4.2 years old). Fifty-one volunteers consumed one cookie containing 0.6% E (the TFA diet group) or 0.04% E (the control diet group) of TFAs every day for 4 weeks.…”