Long-term consumption of sunflower and fish oils damages the liver

An international group of scientists led by the University of Granada (UGR) has demonstrated that the long-term intake of sunflower or fish oils damages the liver and can cause a series of alterations in it, giving rise to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Fish oil. Image credit: Fitnessrezepte.net/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The research demonstrates that fat accumulates in the liver with age, but the most striking finding is that the type of fat accumulated differs depending on the oils consumed and this means that, regardless of this accumulation, some livers age in a healthier way than others and with a greater or lesser predisposition to certain diseases.

Three dietary fats (virgin olive oil, sunflower oil and fish oils) were studied and virgin olive oil was shown to the best of the three for preserving the liver throughout life.

The research also revealed that sunflower oil induced fibrosis, ultrastructural alterations, gene expression blockades and high oxidation.

Meanwhile, fish oil intensified oxidation associated with ageing, lowered mitochondrial electron transport chain activity and altered the relative telomere length. Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes, the shortening of which can cause cell ageing and the lengthening of which can cause cancer.

The alterations caused by the long-term consumption of sunflower and fish oils make the liver susceptible to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a very serious disease that may act as a catalyst for other liver diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

The virgin olive oil is the healthiest option, which has already been proven in relation to diverse aspects of health. (University of Granada)

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