"Linoleic Acid — The Most Destructive Ingredient in Your Diet."
- Leslie Vivvian
- May 6
- 1 min read
By Dr Mercola
Vegetable oils have replaced natural fats — Marketed as a healthier alternative, seed oils high in linoleic acid have contributed to inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic disease
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are everywhere — Found in plastics, pesticides and personal care products, EDCs interfere with hormone function, impacting fertility, thyroid health and cancer risk
Lifestyle factors are driving mitochondrial decline — Inactivity, poor diet and lack of sunlight exposure have disrupted natural metabolic processes, which led to energy deficits and chronic fatigue
Traditional lifestyles offer a blueprint for better health — Whole foods, natural movement and circadian alignment support mitochondrial function and cellular repair, and reverse modern health declines
The omega-6 imbalance and OXLAMs — A 2023 Nutrients study11 examined the disproportionate intake of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the standard American diet. Researchers found that modern diets contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 than omega-3 fats, with the majority of omega-6 coming from LA in vegetable oils.
This imbalance increases the formation of oxidized linoleic acid metabolites (OXLAMs), which are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and other chronic conditions.
Linoleic acid's persistence in the body — One of the most alarming revelations from the 2023 Nutrients study12 was that LA has a half-life of approximately two years. Unlike other dietary fats, LA lingers in human tissues, meaning its harmful effects persist long-term even after reducing intake. This explains why reversing damage from vegetable oil consumption takes time.
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