Hello Dr. Jordan and Dr. Austin
Is there any health risk associated with going under 20% fat of total calorie during a cut ?
Maybe, but it’d be unlikely unless taken to an extreme.
Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), like Essential Amino Acids, cannot be produced by the body and therefore must be included in the diet. These include linoleic acid (an “omega-6” fat) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, an “omega-3” fat). Deficiencies in total fatty acid intake are associated with a wide range of diseases including skin disorders, hair loss or depigmentation, and poor wound healing in adults due to decreased intake of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D,E, and K) and essential fatty acid driven cellular functions. In children, essential fatty acid deficiency can lead to reduced growth and increased susceptibility to infections. Mogensen 2017
Essential fatty acid deficiency is very rare outside of serious medical conditions where fat intake, digestion, absorption, and/or metabolism are severely impaired. Conditions associated with malabsorption increase the risk of essential fatty acid deficiency; such conditions include Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and individuals who have undergone surgical removal of significant portions of their intestines, among others. While there are other potential causes of essential fatty acid deficiency, deliberate dietary restriction is a very rare cause.
For macro distribution, < 20% from fat is outside of our typical recommendations. I don’t see a great reason to do it and have concerns about adherence, restriction, and so on. You’re free to do what you like of course, but I’d favor ~ 30% Cals/d from fat.
1 Like
Perfect. Thank you so much Dr. Jordan