The Hidden Link Between Seed Oils and America’s Fentanyl Crisis

In the shadow of America’s opioid crisis lies a less obvious, yet potentially critical factor: the widespread consumption of seed oils

These oils, which include soy, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, peanut, corn, and canola, have become dietary staples, largely due to government subsidies and outdated nutritional guidelines.

For many years, I have pioneered the political and cultural dimensions of America’s seed oil problem on broadcast news radio and deep-dive podcasts with the scientists investigating these harmful oils.

What I have found could help solve both the opioid epidemic as well as our overall metabolic health.

There’s growing evidence suggesting that our government’s decades-long dietary shift towards seed oils could be exacerbating chronic pain, which in turn fuels the demand for pain relief, often in the form of opioids and the more dangerous fentanyl.

While the supply side of the fentanyl crisis can be limited by wise border policies, President Trump and his potential HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can use the health promoting policies of removing chronic pain-exacerbating seed oil subsidies and federal nutritional recommendations to drive down the demand for pain-masking opioids.

Professor Bruce Hammock at UC Davis has conducted research that elucidates how linoleic acid, abundant in these seed oils, is metabolized into arachidonic acid. This process is significant because, as Hammock explains, “An increase in dietary linoleic acid leads to higher levels of arachidonic acid, which can be metabolized into pro-inflammatory eicosanoids” (Hammock et al., 2021).

These substances are pivotal in creating an inflammatory environment that can manifest as chronic pain, pushing individuals towards pain management solutions.

The correlation between the surge in seed oil consumption and the rise in chronic pain conditions isn’t mere happenstance. A study in the Journal of Lipid Research confirms, “The increase in the consumption of linoleic acid from seed oils has paralleled the increase in the prevalence of chronic pain conditions” (Smith et al., 2017).

This suggests a causal relationship where dietary choices are setting the stage for widespread chronic pain, inadvertently increasing the market for painkillers.

Researchers like Tucker Goodrich and Chris Knobbe, M.D., have been vocal about these findings. Goodrich highlights, “The modern diet, rich in seed oils high in linoleic acid, creates an inflammatory environment in the body,” aligning with observations that these oils contribute to systemic inflammation (Goodrich, 2020).

Dr. Knobbe’s research echoes this, pointing out that “The shift from traditional fats to industrial seed oils has been detrimental, potentially contributing to the epidemic of chronic diseases” (Knobbe, 2019).

Government policies have inadvertently shaped this dietary shift. By subsidizing seed oil production, these oils have become cheap and ubiquitous, infiltrating everything from school lunches to hospital meals where reducing inflammation should arguably be a priority.

Here’s where President Trump, RFK Jr, reformers at the USDA, and Elon Musk’s DOGE group have a pivotal role. The Trump administration’s push for deregulation and subsidy reform could focus on reevaluating these economic incentives that make high-linoleic acid oils a dangerous dietary norm.

Furthermore, the nutritional guidelines, which influence meal planning across various institutions, require a critical overhaul. They currently promote these oils for their supposed heart-health benefits, yet as insights from the aforementioned studies suggest, this might be counterproductive.

The guidelines should pivot towards endorsing traditional, less inflammatory fats like butter, beef tallow, and coconut oil. Research has shown that “Saturated fats like those in coconut oil have demonstrated benefits in reducing inflammation” (Fernandez et al., 2021).

Congress, along with the Trump administration, can level the playing field for producers of healthier fats. By adjusting subsidies, regulations, and tax policies, we could encourage a dietary shift that could lessen chronic pain, potentially decreasing the reliance on opioids.

This isn’t just about economic policy but about public health strategy. Make America Healthy Again received an electoral mandate because of its promise to put human health before special interests.

It is critical that the administration delivers on this immediately.

The biochemical pathway from seed oil consumption to chronic pain isn’t just theoretical. When we reduce the intake of linoleic acid, “The biochemical foundation for severe chronic pain is significantly undermined,” reducing the drive for extreme pain management methods (Ramsden et al., 2013).

In essence, addressing the opioid and fentanyl crisis isn’t solely responsibility of border control, law enforcement or addiction treatment. It starts with what’s on our plates.

The government’s role in our food choices directly impacts our health outcomes. By realigning agricultural policies with the health needs of citizens, not just the interests of corporate welfare, we could see a decline in chronic pain and, subsequently, demand for opioids.

This is not a conservative or liberal issue; it’s an American one. Let’s empower Americans with healthier food choices, potentially alleviating the very pain that drives many into the arms of addiction and fentanyl overdoses.

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    solarsmurph

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    Please have a look at “Dark Calories– How Vegetable Oils Destroy Our Health and How We Can Get It Back – Catherine Shanahan” available as an audiobook or hard-cover (but the hard cover isn’t cheap).
    Between reducing sugar consumption and taking a conscious effort to avoid vegetable oils, my health is slowly improving, but it takes time, and it feels so good!

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