Effects of Consumption of Various Fatty Acids on Serum HDL-Cholesterol Levels

Abstract

Since HDL is an anti-atherogenic lipoprotein which plays a role in reversing cholesterol transport from the peripheral tissues to the liver, low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels are associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases. We previously studied effects of intake of various dietary fat on serum HDL-C levels to make “Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese 2015”, and found that the substitution of fatty acids (FAs) for carbohydrates is beneficially associated with HDL-C, monounsaturated FA (MUFA) intake may not affect HDL-C and trans FA (TFA) is significantly associated with reduction of HDL-C. Consumption of n-3 poly-unsaturated FA (PUFA) was favorably associated with HDL-C. Here we review meta-analyses on the effects of various FA consumption on serum HDL-C levels, to make “Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese 2020”. Consumption of ruminant-TFA may not affect HDL; however, increased industrially produced TFA intake was associated with a significant decrease in HDL and a significant increase in LDL. An intake of n-3 PUFA and MUFA was associated with an increase of HDL. An intake of saturated FA (SFA) was associated with an increase of HDL; however, SFA was also associated with an increase of LDL. J Endocrinol Metab. 2018;8(5):94-99 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jem534