A new anti-aging supplement claims to combat “cellular fragility”. There’s just one small problem.
A new anti-aging supplement claims to combat “cellular fragility”. There’s just one small problem.
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This is Monica Reinagel and you are listening to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show that takes a closer look at food and nutrition research, headlines, and trends to sort fact from fiction and help you make more informed decisions about what you eat (and buy!).
I have to confess that I do not watch cable news–first, because I value my sanity and also because I think there are probably better ways to stay informed. But the televisions that hang above the cardio equipment at my gym are permanently tuned to cable news (and, weirdly, cooking shows) and I couldn’t help but notice a frequently recurring ad spot for a new supplement called Fatty15.
According to the manufacturer, Fatty15 supplies a saturated fatty acid called pentadecanoic acid, which is essential for cellular health, strengthening cell membranes and preventing premature cell death. It is said to reduce inflammation, improve metabolic health and liver function, and–most impressively of all–to combat “cellular fragility syndrome.”
In fact, Fatty15 is being positioned as not just beneficial but actually necessary for optimal health and longevity, suggesting that a deficiency of this fatty acid (which–you guessed it–is more likely without supplementation) will result in poor health and decreased health and longevity.
Those are some pretty big claims for a supposedly “essential” fatty acid that few nutritionists have even heard of. So, let’s take a closer look.
Pentadecanoic acid is the common name for a saturated fatty acid containing 15 carbon atoms–which makes it a bit unusual, as most saturated fats have an even number of carbon atoms. In fact, some argue that odd-chain fatty acids like pentadecanoic acid play a unique role in human health.
The primary dietary source for these odd-chain fatty acids is butterfat–butter, cream, and whole milk dairy products. And these fatty acids may be part of the reason that saturated fats from dairy don’t seem to have the same negative effects of saturated fats from other foods.
If you consume full-fat dairy products, you might get 50 to 150 mg per day of pentadecanoic acid from your diet. If you don’t consume dairy (or gravitate to low-fat or fat-free options), your dietary intake of this nutrient will be far less. Interestingly, if you are following a very high fat diet, such as a ketogenic diet, it may dramatically reduce the amount of pentadecanoic acid that you absorb from foods–blunting the potential benefits.
Although you will see references to pentadecanoic acid as an essential fatty acid, it is not officially recognized as an essential nutrient. Neither is there a recommended daily intake for this nutrient. However, there has been some research associating higher dietary intake (or blood levels) of this fatty acid with increased longevity and lower risks of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or heart failure.
In the show notes, I’ll include links to a handful of articles in peer-reviewed journals, reviewing the existing research and making the case for pentadecanoic acid as an essential fatty acid. Although these papers have cleared the peer-review process, it bears mentioning that the primary author of most of these papers works for the company that holds the patent for this particular fatty acid, as well as for the company that sells it as a supplement. I’m not saying there’s not a case to be made here; rather, that we may only be hearing one side of it.
And, as you might expect, once we leave the scientific literature and turn to the marketing materials, things get a lot more exciting!
One of the primary arguments and claims for Fatty15 is that is provides protection against “cellular fragility syndrome.” And one of the problems with this claim is that this appears to be a completely invented condition. According to the company that sells Fatty15, Cellular Fragility Syndrome affects approximately one in three people—despite the fact that this syndrome is not recognized by any medical authority, detectable by any lab test, or included in any standard diagnostic classifications. And, the best way to prevent or reverse this condition is, well, you can probably guess.
You might also be impressed by what appears to be the volume of scientific research supporting this new discovery. Marketing materials cite "over a hundred peer-reviewed studies” to support the benefits of this very special fatty acid–the benefits of which were first identified by scientists studying dolphins.
In fact, there appear to be only two randomized controlled trials of pentadecanoic acid in humans, and one of them simply demonstrated that taking it as a supplement increased levels of the fatty acid in the blood. In fact, the vast majority of studies to support this supplement are assays of cell cultures in petri dishes, animal studies, or correlations observed in population studies.
It’s not that there’s nothing here. But, as often happens in the world of nutritional supplements, the marketing has gotten way ahead of what is promising but extremely preliminary research. As one critic expressed it, the marketing behind Fatty15 is essentially the equivalent of "selling tickets to a concert before the band has even confirmed they're playing.”
But what about all the rapturous testimonials from users who are convinced that this supplement has transformed their health or is responsible for positive changes in their lab work? These kinds of anecdotal reports have the same weaknesses that I mentioned in my recent episode on raw milk: reporting bias (where positive results are more likely to be documented than no results), uncontrolled variables (where the user makes a bunch of changes at once and then ascribes the effects to one of them), and placebo effect, which is especially hard to avoid when trying to assess effects like energy, mental clarity, or reduced cravings.
OK, so the evidence that this supplement will make you healthier, your cells less fragile, and extend your longevity might still be limited. But is there any downside? The good news is that there doesn’t appear to be any safety concerns. In fact, because it does not have any effect on blood clotting, it may be even a bit safer than old-school fish oil supplements. Really, the main hazard I can see, other than making this type of hype profitable, thereby encouraging more of the same, is the possible harm to your wallet. The supplement will cost you $40 or $50 a month.
If you are intrigued by this emerging research but not enough to add an expensive supplement to your regimen, you could hedge your bets by including more pentadecanoic acid-rich foods in your diet.
In order to get 150 mg (the amount in one capsule of Fatty15), you’d need to consume about one and half cups of whole milk or whole-milk yogurt, OR 3 tablespoons of butter or cream, OR any combination of that. (So, for example, 1 cup of milk or yogurt and 1 tablespoon of butter or cream.)
That would also add about 12 grams of saturated fat to your diet, which is still well below the recommended upper limit of 20 grams. Plus, as I mentioned before, the saturated fats in dairy do not appear to have the same negative effects as saturated fats from other sources. For example, dairy fats do not appear to raise cholesterol or heart disease risk. In fact, some studies have linked consumption of full-fat dairy to lower risks of obesity and heart disease. Plus, you’d also get the calcium, protein, and other nutrients that you wouldn’t get from a fatty acid supplement.
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how the science on this fatty acid continues to evolve. I’ll keep you posted!
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Nutrition Diva is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. Steve Riekeberg is our audio engineer, Brannan Goetschius provides script editing. Holly Hutchings is the Digital Operations Specialist and Morgan Christianson heads up Podcast Operations & Advertising. We also get indispensable support from Nat Hoopes. Thanks to all of them and thanks to you for listening!