Trans fats raise endometriosis risk
Women who eat lots of tuna, salmon and other foods rich in essential omega-3 oils are less likely to develop endometriosis than those whose diets are loaded with trans fats.
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Women who eat lots of tuna, salmon and other foods rich in essential omega-3 oils are less likely to develop endometriosis than those whose diets are loaded with trans fats.
Endometriosis, which has no cure, can cause infertility. In endometriosis, pieces of the uterine lining grow outside the womb, sometimes sticking to other organs. The type of fat in a woman's diet, rather than the total amount, may be a risk factor for endometriosis, an often debilitating and painful condition. Fish oil consumption has been associated with improvement in women with primary dysmenorrhea, which is a medical condition characterised by severe uterine pain during menstruation. Trans fats, known to increase heart risk, are formed when liquid fats are hardened to make something more resembling butter.
To investigate the relation between dietary fat intake and the risk of endometriosis, researchers looked at the diets of 70,709 women followed for 12 years in the U.S. Nurses Health Study. The types of fats the nurses ate were broken down into five categories and the researchers looked to see who later developed endometriosis.
Over the course of the study, 1,199 developed endometriosis. It was found that women who ate the most omega-3 fatty acids were 22 percent less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis than women who ate the least. Women who ate the most trans fats had a 48 percent higher risk of the condition compared with those who ate the least.
This study suggests that trans fats can also affect endometriosis risk. The risk is likely increased because of a chronic inflammatory response to the trans fat.
Endometriosis, which has no cure, can cause infertility. In endometriosis, pieces of the uterine lining grow outside the womb, sometimes sticking to other organs. The type of fat in a woman's diet, rather than the total amount, may be a risk factor for endometriosis, an often debilitating and painful condition. Fish oil consumption has been associated with improvement in women with primary dysmenorrhea, which is a medical condition characterised by severe uterine pain during menstruation. Trans fats, known to increase heart risk, are formed when liquid fats are hardened to make something more resembling butter.
To investigate the relation between dietary fat intake and the risk of endometriosis, researchers looked at the diets of 70,709 women followed for 12 years in the U.S. Nurses Health Study. The types of fats the nurses ate were broken down into five categories and the researchers looked to see who later developed endometriosis.
Over the course of the study, 1,199 developed endometriosis. It was found that women who ate the most omega-3 fatty acids were 22 percent less likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis than women who ate the least. Women who ate the most trans fats had a 48 percent higher risk of the condition compared with those who ate the least.
This study suggests that trans fats can also affect endometriosis risk. The risk is likely increased because of a chronic inflammatory response to the trans fat.
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