7.5 Lipids in Health and Disease Flashcards
What is atherosclerosis?
A type of CVD that is the build up of fatty materials in artery walls, causing heart attacks and some strokes
Certain ______ can increase or decrease the risk of developing atherosclerosis
lipids
Besides lipids, what can increase the risk of atherosclerosis?
Low physical activity, obesity, stress
Trans fats are known to increase what?
Ratio of LDL to HDL
Risk of CVD
Risk of CVD mortality
How can we avoid trans fats?
Minimize consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods, especially those that are hydrogenated
Diets high a sat fats imply what?
Increased LDL levels, which increases risk of CVD (lipid hypothesis)
A direct link has not been established between sat fats and CVD
How can we lower the risk that comes with a diet high in sat fats?
Replace sat fats (animal products) with unsat fats (plant products)
When _________ fatty acids replace saturated fat, LDL levels decrease
polyunsaturated
What are the 2 types of essential fatty acids?
Omega-3 and Omega-6
What are the effects of omega-3 fatty acids?
Reduces CVD risk by decreasing inflammation, blood cholesterol, vasoconstriction, and blood clotting.
Caused by the ecosanoids they form
Does supplementing omega-3 fatty acids further reduce risk of CVD?
No
What are the effects of omega-6 fatty acids?
Increases risk of CVD as they increase inflammation and blood clotting. But can also reduce risk of CBD
What shared effect to both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids provide?
Protective effects on the brain
Dietary cholesterol has a minimal effect on increasing ___ and CVD risk.
LDL
What are cholesterol hyper-responders?
People who’s LDL levels go up when more cholesterol is consumed
What percentage of people are cholesterol hyper-responders?
25 to 30%
Eggs are extremely nutrient dense. What do they contain?
Each 75 kcal egg is high in protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
Can also be high in omega-3 fatty acids if chickens are fed flax seeds
Why are eggs controversial? Why do we not have to worry about this?
They are high in cholesterol (225 mg/egg). In moderation (1-3 eggs/day) they do not increase risk to CVD.
How do plant sterols help our body?
Reduce LDL levels by competing with cholesterol for absorption and altering cholesterol metabolism.
Research to see if this reduces CVD risk is still ongoing.
What are the sources of each type of fat?
Trans: Highly processed goods
Sat: Animal products, butter, tropical oils
Omega-3: Flax/chia seeds, fatty fish, fish oils
Omega-6: soy, corn, vegetable oils
Cholesterol: Eggs, shellfish, animal products
Plant sterols: Nuts, fruits, seeds
What is the lipid hypothesis?
Suggests that one of the main drivers of CVD are the lipids found in our diet and blood
