# Adverse effects of consuming too much fat **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220 "2002-05-04T05:24:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mnementh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mnementh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnementh)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220/1 "2002-05-04T05:24:37Z")
The main effect, of course, being that fat contains far more energy than any other type of food, and so provides more calories than one may burn effectively. My question is, are there any other effects beyond this? I ask because it’s occured to me lately that perhaps my diet and exercise regimen aren’t making up for all the fast food I eat. And that’s a lot of grease, of course, but I’ve always rationalised that since I exercise so much, and apparntly burn it all off as fast as I take it in, I’m not suffering any ill effects. So, could I be? What other effects, if any, does consuming too much fat have on the body? Any answers or ideas would be appreciated; don’t be afraid to get specific, as I like to believe I have a fairly good grasp of physiology. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220/2 "2002-05-04T13:19:38Z")
Well, if your fat diet is rich in the trans-fats and saturated fat varieties, your body tends to turn these molecules into the ‘bad’ cholesterol which promotes vascular disease. Mono and poly-unsaturated fats tend to get turned into more useful, less dangerous substances. (The above is an extreme simplification and used for illustration purposes only) ---
**Author:** ![Mnementh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mnementh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mnementh)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220/3 "2002-05-04T18:27:42Z")
Wouldn’t regular cardiovascular exercise help counter this, though? Or does cholesterol in the blood not get used as an energy source, at all? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220/4 "2002-05-04T18:52:58Z")
Trans fats tend to rip apart your arterial walls. Nasty stuff. Ironically, as far as I know, they started making partially saturated (trans fats) to avoid having a saturated fat count that was too high. So by avoiding having a label that says it has high saturated fat, instead, we get artificial fats that are far more harmful than any saturated fat would be. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adverse-effects-of-consuming-too-much-fat/107220/5 "2002-05-04T19:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mnementh \* > \*\*Wouldn’t regular cardiovascular exercise help counter this, though? Or does cholesterol in the blood not get used as an energy source, at all? \*\* No, cholesterol manufactured by your body is not meant to be a fuel source. Regular exercise improves your odds, but does not in and of itself completely compensate for an unhealthy diet.