Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Soybean Oil: Obesity, Fatty Liver Disease, Gut Health, IBS & Colitis | Frances Sladek | 269
Metabolic effects of soybean oil and linoleic acid on obesity, fatty liver, and liver function.
Topics Discussed:
- Historical trends in soybean oil use: Consumption increased dramatically since the 1960s due to farming subsidies, now providing over 10% of calories for many Americans, far exceeding the 1-2% required biologically.
- Soybean oil’s effects in mice: Diets with 8-10% linoleic acid cause obesity, fatty liver, and diabetes over weeks, unlike coconut oil diets; effects persist even after diet switch unless combined with fasting.
- Role of HNF4 protein: This conserved liver transcription factor binds linoleic acid, regulating gene expression for metabolism; variants shift between carbohydrate and fat processing, with imbalances linked to fatty liver and cancer.
- Oxylipins from linoleic acid: Conversion in liver drives obesity; mice unable to produce them resist weight gain on soybean oil, suggesting these metabolites are key culprits.
- Vitamin B1 & soybean oil: Diets deplete B1 in liver and blood, contributing to obesity; supplementation with B1 analogs prevents weight gain, unlike beef tallow diets which preserve B1 levels.
- Gut & microbiome impacts: Soybean oil alters gut bacteria, potentially reducing B1 production and increasing permeability, leading to inflammation; farm animals fed soybean meal pass effects to consumers.
- Broader health implications: Reanalysis of old human studies questions linoleic acid’s heart benefits; focus on reducing processed foods and seed oils, while noting olive oil’s advantages from historical contexts.
Practical Takeaways:
- Limit processed foods and seed oils like soybean to reduce linoleic acid intake, aiming for 1-2% of calories; read labels and opt for olive oil or home-cooked meals.
- Incorporate intermittent fasting, such as 12-16 hours without eating daily, to help reverse obesity effects from high-linoleic diets, based on mouse reversibility studies.
- Choose grass-fed or naturally fed animal products to avoid indirect soybean oil exposure from feed, potentially preserving nutrient levels like vitamin B1.
- Monitor diet when traveling or changing habits, as shifts in oil types can affect medication metabolism via liver enzymes.
About the guest: Frances Sladek, PhD is a professor whose research focuses on the nuclear receptor HNF4 and the health impacts of dietary fats, particularly soybean oil.
*Not medical advice.
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