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Consuming potato chips that contain the "fake fat" olestra may
result in a misdiagnosis of sometimes serious digestive disorders.
Steatorrhea, or excess fat in the stool, can indicate gastrointestinal
disorders in which patients are unable to digest or absorb certain
nutrients. The present study found that healthy people who consume
olestra can have levels of fat in their stool similar to those of
patients with steatorrhea.
False-positive results on tests for the malabsorption syndrome
could lead to unnecessary medical investigations, some of which
are expensive or can be associated with serious complications. This
study found that consuming 5 ounces of olestra-containing potato
chips a day generates a fecal fat output of 14 to more than 23 grams
a day. About 7 grams a day is considered the upper limit of normal
for fecal fat output. The results are not surprising given that
olestra acts like a mineral oil in the digestive tract.
If you eat chips fried in indigestible oil, the oil will leak out
and take everything soluble in fat with it. Foods that contain olestra
have the taste and texture of foods that contain actual fat. Unlike
the real thing, however, olestra passes through the body undigested,
allowing people who consume olestra-containing products to enjoy
the foods such as potato chips, without the high calorie count associated
with fat-containing regular foods.
The small study found that a daily intake of 40 grams of olestra
increased the amount of fat in the feces. Forty grams sounds like
a lot but that's only the amount in 5 ounces of potato chips, easily
consumed by anyone who can't eat just one. The researchers note
that no studies have been done on humans to determine how long olestra
remains in the gut. But studies of other nonabsorbable substances
indicate that it can take up to 7 days for such substances to be
eliminated. Doctors may want to take this into account when investigating
patients for gastrointestinal problems, they conclude.
Annals of Internal Medicine February
15, 2000;132:279-282.
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