It is commonly known that cooking oils are harmful to health in general; however, a recent study highlighted a potential link between long-term consumption of reused cooking oil and accelerated brain damage. The new study conducted on mice found that those fed reheated cooking oils showed significantly higher levels of neurodegeneration compared to mice that consumed a standard diet.
The research indicated that reheating oil may increase neurodegeneration by disrupting the liver-gut-brain axis, which is crucial for maintaining physiological balance and is associated with neurological disorders. The study revealed that diets including reheated oils led to elevated levels of cholesterol, bad cholesterol, triglycerides, AST and ALT, and inflammatory markers, alongside significant damage to the liver and colon structures, indicating potential harm to cardiovascular health and other organs, according to "medicalnewstoday."
Additionally, the consumption of reheated oils caused specific brain damage, particularly in vital regions for regeneration, underscoring the neurological risks associated with reheated oil consumption. In contrast, mice fed non-heated oils showed better brain health indicators compared to those fed reheated oils.
Heating oils to high temperatures significantly alters their natural chemical composition, reducing their beneficial antioxidants and forming harmful compounds such as trans fats, acrylamide, and aldehydes. Reheating oils, especially for deep frying, exacerbates this process as the oil becomes increasingly unstable, losing health benefits and generating more toxins with each use.
To avoid further intake of unhealthy oils, experts suggested that consumers inquire about the cooking oils used in restaurants and choose dishes prepared using healthy methods such as grilling or baking. It is noted that the study was published in Discover BMB 2024, the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and will appear in a virtual supplement to the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
