Too Much Fat Can Potentially Make People Sluggish Mentally and Physically

Studies done at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom have led scientists to believe that too much fat intake for an extended period of time can make rats slow to think and move. In the laboratory, researcher Andrew Murray fed two sets of rats. One set had been given a low-fat (7.5% fat) diet and the other set had a high-fat (55% fat) diet.

In just four days, the high-fat rats had a hard time using oxygen for their muscles, which was attributed to the higher levels of uncoupling protein 3 in their bodies. They had to work harder to move, pushing their hearts which grew larger. After nine days, the fat rats had more difficulty completing the maze compared to their slim counterparts. Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the FASEB journal where the study was published, likened the state of the fat rats to what happens after a high-fat food weekend. He says that while it's a feast for the taste buds, it does little to improve the way the brain and muscles function.

The scientists had reason to believe that what happened to the rats given a short-term high-fat diet could also happen to people. They say it could suggest that high fat diets can make people mentally and physically sluggish. It may not be 100% true, but it's likely. It's best to keep to a low-fat diet rich in quality calories. Vegetables are always good.