Dangerous oil increasingly used in Spain linked to multiple sclerosis

We don’t know what we put in our mouths because we almost never read the ingredients in cookies, cereals, cosmetic creams… But palm oilPotentially unhealthy because it contains a high percentage of saturated fat, it is an ingredient that is increasingly being used in Spain as a result of rising prices for olive or sunflower oil.

More than a year ago, inflation led to historic increases in the prices of these oils, which were apparently much healthier, according to scientific research. Since then, many consumers have opted for palm oil. Not only as a raw material in the many processed foods we consume daily, such as toast or baked goods, but also as a basic cooking oil. In fact, palm oil is already the most used oil in the world, despite the fact that it is not an ideal alternative from a health perspective. In addition, its production entails environmental and social harm.

A new study shows how a diet rich palm oil It can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis by forming toxic compounds in neurons in the brain. The researchers of this new work, published in the journal Gliafound that the enzymes CerS5 and CerS6 convert palm oil into a substance that damages mitochondria, depriving neurons of the energy they need. This study highlights importance of diet choices in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and for brain health in general.

Researchers have examined possible mechanisms by which a diet rich in palm oil may alter neuronal health. The team found that they caused the mice to develop more severe multiple sclerosis. “We believe that inside neuronal cells Palm oil is becoming toxic called ceramide C16 by the specific enzymes CerS5 and CerS6,” explains Patrizia Casaccia, lead researcher.

Palm oil and multiple sclerosis

Also founding director of the Neuroscience Initiative at the Center for Advanced Study at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY) and the Einstein Professor of Biology and Biochemistry at the CUNY Graduate Center investigated how enzymes called ceramide synthase 5, 6 are responsible for Toxic effect of a diet rich in palm oil

on neurons of the central nervous system, causing a subsequent increase in the severity of symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by significant damage to the insulating myelin sheath that protects nerves throughout the body. Current treatments aim to control the immune system’s response, but the exact mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration in this disease are not yet known. Previous work from Casaccia’s laboratory and others reported toxic effects of a high fat diet on the severity of symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

“This new information points to a specific metabolic pathway through which dietary fat may worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis,” said co-author Damien Marechal, a postdoctoral fellow in Casaccia’s lab.

Foods and products containing palm oil

What foods or products contain palm oil? According to the Spanish Consumers and Users Organization (OCU), this substance is mainly used in the creation of food products such as frying oil, margarinebutter, confectionery, cookies, sauces, ice cream and dressings. In addition, the solid waste generated during its use is used to produce animal feed.

The rise in palm oil prices not only affects food, but also other oleochemical or biofuel products that are produced using palm oil. This includes products such as soap, detergents, cosmetics, candles or printing inks. (You may be interested in: The Surprising Dangers of Reusing Cooking Oil for Your Brain)

The new study’s findings have important implications for people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, as well as for doctors who treat patients and neuroscientists who study the disease. The work supports the idea that lifestyle choices, such as diet, can have a profound impact on the course of the disease.