There are many types of oils and derivate on the market. At the same time, oil is one of the most common ingredients in most supermarket products. Some oils consumed in limited quantities have health benefits, while others, such as soybean oil, have been associated with health conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, genetic changes.
According to a study on male mice, a diet high in soybean oil can trigger dysregulation of hypothalamic genes and other harmful health conditions.
The study analyzed the possible health effects of soybean oil, low-LA soybean oil, and coconut oil
To determine if the soybean oil has any harmful effects on the hypothalamic brain region, scientists performed RNA sequencing in mice by dividing them into three categories. Some mic received products containing soybean oil, other products containing low-LA soybean oil, and another group received products containing coconut oil. These three different diets were provided in pellet form, and the mice were fed twice a week for 24 weeks.
Soybean oil-modified 100 different genes in the hypothalamus
After analyzing the mice from the three different categories, scientists determined that the two groups fed with soybean oil suffered modifications in 100 different genes from the hypothalamus part of the brain. The modified genes are the ones associated with many health conditions such as Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, depression, and the gene that produces oxytocin.
Oxytocin is a crucial hormone in the weight loss process because it regulates body weight and glucose metabolism. Therefore, glucose intolerance can be produced due to the consumption of soybean oil.
Further research is needed to determine the main harmful ingredient in soybean oil
Although scientists used several types of soybean oil for the study and tried to analyze which ingredient is the main culprit responsible for all the genetic modification, further research is needed.