Layne Norton: Seed Oil Panic Is Over-blown. Here's Why.
Here’s What the Evidence Says About Seed Oils according to Dr. Layne Norton.
Before we get into Layne’s view of the science, a quick personal note:
I still cook primarily with olive oil and avocado oil.
Partly for taste.
Partly because olive oil, in particular, has strong evidence behind it (Mediterranean diet data, monounsaturated fats, polyphenols).
And partly because I just prefer it.
But preference is different from panic.
And that’s what this conversation with Layne Norton helped clarify for me.
The Core Argument Against Seed Oils
The anti–seed oil case usually rests on three claims:
Linoleic acid (an omega-6 fat) increases inflammation
Because it’s a precursor to arachidonic acid, which can convert into pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.Linoleic acid intake has skyrocketed over the past century
And correlates with rising chronic disease.They’re industrially processed and “unnatural.”
It sounds plausible.
But plausibility isn’t proof.
If linoleic acid were driving disease, we would expect:
People who consume more of it
And people with higher tissue levels of it
to show higher cardiovascular risk.
We see the opposite, argues Layne.
Higher Linoleic Acid, Lower Risk
Fatty acids show up in your tissue biomarkers.
If you eat more of a certain fat, your adipose tissue and plasma reflect that.
According to Layne:
People with higher tissue levels of linoleic acid live longer and have lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
This isn’t just self-reported intake.
This is biomarker data across very large populations.
That complicates the “omega-6 = inflammatory poison” story.
Saturated Fat vs. Polyunsaturated Fat
A lot of the debate hinges on substitution.
When polyunsaturated fats (like many seed oils) replace saturated fats, studies show:
LDL cholesterol decreases
Liver fat decreases
Insulin sensitivity improves
Cardiovascular disease risk decreases
If someone argues seed oils are harmful, consistency would require acknowledging that saturated fat appears worse in terms of cardiovascular risk.
The LDL Question: Genetic Evidence
Layne brought up one of the strongest lines of evidence: Mendelian randomization studies.
Certain gene variants naturally raise or lower LDL cholesterol.
Researchers have examined 300,000+ people and looked at lifetime LDL exposure.
The finding:
For every ~40 mg/dL reduction in LDL cholesterol, there is a 50–55% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.
Crucially:
It didn’t matter how LDL was lowered —
reduced secretion, increased clearance, or reduced absorption.
Lower LDL → lower risk.
Consistently.
Since saturated fat raises LDL and polyunsaturated fat lowers it, that matters.
What About Processing?
Another common critique: seed oils are industrial and highly processed.
Layne noted that refining occurs under vacuum — meaning no oxygen → minimal oxidation during processing.
Trans fats formed during refinement?
Less than 0.5%.
Where oxidation can become relevant is prolonged, high-temperature frying — especially thin layers of oil heated repeatedly.
But that’s more about:
Deep frying
Reused oil
Frequent fried food consumption
Not ordinary home cooking.
The Naturalistic Argument
You’ll often hear:
“Humans shouldn’t be extracting oil from seeds.”
Layne’s response was direct:
The question isn’t “Is it natural?”
The question is “Is it harmful or beneficial based on outcomes?”
We don’t live naturalistic lives.
We use smartphones.
We use antibiotics.
We drive cars.
“Natural” is not the metric. Outcomes are.
Where I Land
Personally, I’ll continue using olive oil and avocado oil at home. I like the taste. I like the data behind olive oil. And it works for me.
But after this conversation, I’m less persuaded that seed oils are the metabolic apocalypse.
The bigger drivers of chronic disease still appear to be:
Chronic caloric overconsumption
Sedentary lifestyle
Overall dietary pattern
Not whether your sauté pan had canola or olive oil in it.
That said — I’m genuinely open to hearing strong, evidence-based arguments from the other side.
If someone believes seed oils are a major driver of disease and can make that case with rigorous human outcome data, I’d be happy to have them on the podcast to talk about it.
I’m not interested in tribal food wars.
I’m interested in getting it right.
Watch the clip and let me know where you land.
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