Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Oct 18, 2025 3 hours, 40 minutes ago
Medical News: A Common Cooking Oil with Unseen Consequences
Scientists from the University of California, Riverside, have uncovered that diets rich in soybean oil—a staple in kitchens and processed foods worldwide—could be harming gut health more than previously thought. Their research found that high consumption of this oil disrupts the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut and increases vulnerability to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic condition that affects the large intestine.
Hidden Dangers of Soybean Oil on Gut Health
This
Medical News report reveals that the main culprit is linoleic acid, the primary component of soybean oil. While our bodies require a small amount of this fatty acid for cell function, excessive intake creates a toxic environment in the gut, feeding harmful bacteria and killing off beneficial ones. It also weakens the gut’s protective barrier, allowing harmful substances to leak into the bloodstream and trigger inflammation.
How Soybean Oil Alters Gut Microbes
In their experiments, the researchers fed mice a soybean oil-rich diet for 24 weeks. They observed a major rise in adherent invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC)—a dangerous bacterial strain linked to human cases of colitis—along with a decline in beneficial gut bacteria such as Lactobacillus. The mice also showed signs of a weakened intestinal lining, a condition that makes the body more prone to inflammatory damage.
The findings challenge long-held beliefs that plant-based oils are automatically healthier than animal fats. Dr. Poonamjot Deol, one of the study’s lead authors, noted that Americans today consume five times more linoleic acid than the body actually needs, mainly from soybean oil hidden in snacks, sauces, and fried foods.
Why Too Much Linoleic Acid Is a Problem
Linoleic acid isn’t inherently bad—it’s an essential nutrient that our bodies can’t produce on their own. However, the researchers discovered that AIEC bacteria thrive on it, using it as a food source to multiply. Meanwhile, beneficial bacteria are unable to survive in such high-linoleic environments. This imbalance triggers inflammation and impairs the intestinal wall.
Dr. Frances M. Sladek, a co-corresponding author and toxicologist at UC Riverside, explained that while unsaturated fats like those in soybean oil were once considered universally healthy, this study shows that not all plant-based fats are equal. Oils with lower linoleic acid content—like olive or avocado oil—are far less damaging and even help protect the intestinal barrier.
More Than Just Gut Damage
Beyond bacterial imbalance, the study also uncovered chemical shifts within the gut. Mice consuming high amounts of soybean oil had reduced levels of endocannabinoids—naturally occurring compounds that help regulate inflammation and mood—and higher levels of oxylipins, molecules that promote inflammation. This combination mirro
rs biological patterns found in human IBD patients.
The researchers also warned that the dramatic increase in soybean oil consumption since the 1970s parallels the rise in inflammatory bowel disease cases in the United States. Given that soybean oil is inexpensive and widely used in processed foods and restaurant cooking, it could be silently contributing to the nation’s growing gut health crisis.
A Need to Rethink “Healthy” Oils
The UC Riverside team emphasized moderation. Small amounts of linoleic acid are necessary for maintaining cell flexibility and brain function, but modern diets provide far too much. They recommend replacing soybean and corn oil with alternatives like olive, avocado, or coconut oil, and avoiding heavily processed foods whenever possible.
Conclusion
This research highlights the complex link between diet, the gut microbiome, and inflammation. While once praised as a healthy alternative to saturated fats, soybean oil—when consumed in excess—may promote the very diseases it was thought to prevent. The findings underscore the importance of understanding how modern dietary habits shape our gut health and overall well-being.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Gut Microbes.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19490976.2023.2229945
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/health-news
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/diets-and-nutrition
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