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Health risks of Olestra
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Monday, November 24, 2003 5:00 am Email this article
OLESTRA, THE NEW ZERO CALORIE FAKE FAT from Proctor & Gamble, may cause as many as 32,000 additional deaths in the U.S. each year according to Harvard epidemiologist Meir J. Stampfer’s calculations.
Stampfer has calculated that three small olestra-containing snacks per week would cause a 10% drop in carotenoids (like beta carotene and lycopene).
A 10% drop in carotenoids could cause an additional 390 to 800 cases of macular degeneration and 2,400 to 9,800 cases of prostate cancer to name a few.
The Science News article reporting this also revealed that some of the experts on the FDA advisory panel recommending approval were consultants to Proctor & Gamble.
Side effects of olestra include diarrhea, cramping and leaky bowels. Olestra also carries fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K out the body.
REFERENCE
Fackelmann K. Olestra: too good to be true? Researchers flush out health risks of fake fat. Science News, 149(4); 61, Jan 27, 1996.
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