Negative Health Effects of Palmitic Acid
Heart disease has grown to be a very common cause of death all over the world. Research has shown that about 1 in every 4 deaths in the United States every year is related to a heart disease. It’s the leading cause of death for both men and women. Factors like obesity, smoking, and lack of exercise are what increases one’s risk for cardiovascular disease.
Unfortunately, it seems like evidence has shown that palmitic acid is also a factor. Studies show that palmitic acid can significantly raise LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol levels. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [4], palmitic acid raises these LDL levels more than other saturated fats, like stearic acid. The organization has said that there is convincing evidence that high consumption of palmitic acid can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
One study [5] has also linked high consumption of palmitic acid to a greater risk of obesity and insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. A 2015 review article, however, was unable to draw any firm conclusions about the links between palmitic acid and increased risk of developing obesity, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. Overall, there is insufficient evidence to state whether palmitic acid directly leads to harmful health effects.
A review that was published by the European Food Safety Authority mentioned that up to 10 percent consumption of dietary palmitic acid is safe; however, this is based on data that is outdated and no longer meets their updated guidelines. For better clarity more conclusive research is still needed.