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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Free Radicals in Chemical Biology: from Chemical Behavior to Biomarker Development
Published on: April 15, 2013
[Trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids--metabolic action and clinical effects]
E Stachowska1, D Chlubek, K Ciechanowski
1Zakład Biochemii i Chemii Pomorskiej AM w Szczecinie.
Abstract:
Fatty acids with the trans configuration are formed chiefly during hardening of oils and have been associated with increased risk of ischaemic heart disease. Dietary uptake of such fatty acids increases the level of lipoprotein (a) and LDL cholesterol, at the same time reducing the level of HDL cholesterol in plasma. As the content of saturated fatty acids in margarine is lower than in butter, the former product was for a long time considered as healthier. However, some margarines are rich in trans fatty acids. In other words, the risk of cardiovascular diseases can only be reduced by replacing butter with margarine checked for a low trans fatty acid content. The purpose of this paper was to review the literature dealing with the metabolic actions of trans isomers of unsaturated fatty acids and their clinical effects.
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