Besides their adverse effects with cardiovascular health and cancer risk, researchers have recently linked trans fatty acid consumption to increased aggression, reduced patience, and irritability. Trans fatty acids are man-made compounds that have been introduced only recently, so little is known about their effects on mental health. Trans fatty acids inhibit the body’s production of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce aggression.
Due to the fact that, besides water, the human brain is composed mostly of fatty acids, it is easy to understand how synthetically-pro duced trans fats could adversely affect our brain and our behavior.
