Dietary measures.

Since TFA have been nicknamed "phantom fats" because the FDA doesnot require it to be listed on food labels, we can only learn in what foodsthey occur and avoid beef, dairy fat, and margarine.

Reduce the TFA intake instead of total fat intake:

"The theory that a high proportion of fat relative to other nutrients promotes the development of obesity is founded on research with experimental animals and in human population surveys. This theory has been difficult to prove in prospective feeding studies in humans; therefore it remains a contentious issue. Regarding coronary heart disease, little evidence supports a claim that a high proportion of dietary fat predisposes to disease. Although animal studies and epidemiological studies have implicated dietary fat as a factor in cancer, recent prospective epidemiological data in humans have cast doubt on the possibility of a strong relationship. In summary, clear evidence points to the need to reduce intakes of saturated and trans fatty acids in the diet. Beyond this change, a balanced ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to carbohydrate leading to fat intake of approximately 30% of total energy seems appropriate for the American public. (Annual Review of Nutrition. 19:325-41, 1999.)

The researchers (US Nurse's Health Study, Harvard) say that replacing5% of energy from saturated fat with energy from unsaturated fats could reduce coronary heart disease risk by 42%. Replacing 2% of energy from trans fats with energy from unhydrogenated, unsaturated fats could reduce risk by 53% (N Engl J Med 1997; 337: 1491-99), while replacing 5% of energy from saturated fat with energy from unsaturated fats could reduce coronary heart disease risk by 42%. Whereas a 5% increase in saturated fat would result in a 17% increased risk of CVD. That says that TFA are more harmful than total animal fat.

It is important that the dangers of margarine are estimated comparing with liquid oils, not with butter! Concentrations of "bad" cholesterol and apolipoprotein B were about 10% lower with margarine than with butter. (BMJ. 312(7036):931-4, 1996)

The optimal ratio of fat-to-carbohydratein the diet.

Current dietary advice is to replace fatty foodstuffs by food richin complex carbohydrates. Although substitution of carbohydrates for fatlowers the blood level of low-density lipoprotein ("bad") cholesterol, italso lowers the level of high-density lipoprotein ("good") cholesterol, therebyadversely influencing the risk profile for cardiovascular disease. Neitherdoes a low fat diet appear to reduce obesity, another risk factor. (NederlandsTijdschrift voor Geneeskunde. 142(16):886-9, 1998)

Seems that to beon the safe side means to have about 30% of energy from total fat, excludingsaturated fats and TFA. Fiber-rich carbohydrates derived from vegetableswith intact cell walls, and monounsaturated fatty acids should provide thebulk of total energy. (Diabetes. 46 Suppl 2:S125-30, 1997)

Supplements

TFA tend to increase the atherogenic (promoting athersclerosis)lipoprotein-a. Coenzyme Q10 was found to protect the blood vessel walls fromatherosclerotic plagues induced by TFA in rabbits, concluded researchersin Heart Research Laboratory, Moradabad, India. The plaques were bleedingless and were less ulcerated, thre was less thrombosis in the coenzyme Q10 group compared with placebo.