The immediate impact of junk food on your cells

Slipping your food into a rut of junk food has an almost immediate impact on the blood vessels at the cellular level, alarmingly new research.

Eating hamburgers, pizzas and sausage rolls over a short period of time can cause hardening of the arteries. By quickly changing their structure, warn scientists.

The disease, called atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of heart attack and stroke.

This suggests that processed products are more harmful to one's health than one fears.

Experiments on mice and human cells developed in the laboratory revealed that two types of "bad" cholesterol were the culprits.

These are LDL (low density lipoproteins) and lesser known oxidized LDLs – a form produced by harmful chemicals called free radicals.

Rodents have been fed a normal, balanced diet or a "western" alternative that reflects the levels of fat, protein and carbohydrates found in a typical fast food menu.

Those who consume the latter quickly develop stiffer arteries – up to the endothelial cell layer of the outer wall of the blood vessels.

In the first study of this type, the American team measured LDL and oxidized LDL, then applied the same concentrations to human endothelial cells in culture.

State-of-the-art scanning techniques have shown that the physiological levels of both cells cause stiffening and thickening of the cell membrane compared to non-lipoprotein membranes.

When each was added individually, the tension also increased – which was magnified in combination.

Dr. Manuela Ayee, co-author of the University of Illinois, said, "To our surprise, a very small amount of oxidized LDL radically alters the structure of the cell membrane."

The results suggest that changes in blood fats by eating the wrong foods can fundamentally reduce the quality of the artery walls.

"We believe that changes in the cell membrane can allow the processes involved in atherosclerosis to begin," added Dr. Ayee.

In atherosclerosis, the arteries become thicker and stiffer, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.

The study presented at a meeting of the Biophysical Society in Baltimore helps to better understand the causes of cholesterol.

The tiny fat molecule circulates in our blood, fed by lipoproteins. High amounts of LDL are a key risk factor for hardening of the arteries.

Oxidized LDL is a variant believed to contribute to plaque formation that can lead to clot formation – blocking blood supply to the heart and brain.

Dr. Ayee and her colleague, Dr. Irena Levitan, wanted to know if any of these LDLs were the main problem.

Cholesterol is not quite bad. It is an essential fat that cells need to make membranes and steroid hormones.

When it is transported in our body, it needs a lipoprotein transporter. LDL carries the cholesterol from the liver to the cells.

"Good" cholesterol, or HDL (high density lipoprotein), refers to the liver. It has long been thought that LDL was the cause of atherosclerosis.

The latest findings corroborate recent evidence suggesting that oxidized LDL is also a key player.

According to new research, eating hamburgers, pizzas, cookies and cakes can take decades to waste.

Last month, a study of nearly 45,000 middle-aged people found that deaths from heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses were related to the consumption of hamburgers, pizzas, cookies and cakes.

The French team said that eating too much "ultra-processed" foods can waste a person's life for decades.

This includes french fries, white bread, ready meals, sausages, sweet cereals, soda – any product involving an industrial procedure.