Research

Hormonal

Industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) promote cardiovascular disease risk through multiple mechanisms including increased LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio, activation of NF-κB-mediated inflammation, and induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and oxidative stress.

Avoid industrial trans fats found in partially hydrogenated oils, as they raise bad cholesterol, lower good cholesterol, and trigger inflammation and cellular stress. While trans fats in natural dairy and meat exist, current evidence suggests they do not cause the same inflammatory or cellular damage as industrial versions, though moderation is still advised.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Overall, in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that industrial trans fatty acids promote inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, although to a lesser degree than SFAs, whereas cis-unsaturated fatty acids are protective against ER stress and inflammation.
Antwi‐Boasiako Oteng et al. · Advances in Nutrition · 2019

Why this rating

Strong epidemiological evidence and consistent in vitro/animal data, though human mechanistic trials are fewer.

Source

Mechanisms of Action of trans Fatty Acids

Antwi‐Boasiako Oteng et al. · Advances in Nutrition · 2019

DOI 10.1093/advances/nmz125

narrative_reviewCited 296×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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