Newsletter #144: Dietary Components & Cardiovascular Disease ❤️
Welcome to the newest edition of the humanOS newsletter!
This week, we zeroed in on a lot of compelling observational research linking various dietary components to the development of heart disease. We have known for decades that what you eat plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health, and there is compelling evidence to suggest that starting earlier in life is much better. So even if you are in good shape right now, and atherosclerosis seems like something that doesn’t really apply to you, it pays to adopt a healthy dietary pattern before signs of disease begin to develop. Consider it an investment in your future.
To learn more, scroll down 👇🏼
This Week’s Research Highlights
🍌 Higher potassium and magnesium intake are linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Researchers analyzed data on nutrient intake and cardiovascular disease outcomes from participants in the Framingham Offspring Study (n=2362). Subjects were monitored on an ongoing basis for CVD events over the course of the study, and were all free of cardiovascular disease at baseline. After adjusting for potential confounders (including age, sex, BMI, dietary fiber intake), they found that potassium intake greater than 3000 mg per day (compared to less than 2500 mg) was associated with a 25% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and that for every 600 mg/day of potassium consumed, CVD risk dropped by 12%. Furthermore, magnesium intake greater than 320 mg per day (compared with less than 240 mg) was associated with a 34% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk. Curiously, lower intake of sodium did not show an independent beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk, although there were very few participants who met the recommended level of sodium intake in this study. Foods that are high in both potassium and magnesium include bananas, avocados, legumes, and leafy greens.
💊 Glucosamine supplementation is associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.
Researchers combined data on dietary intake and supplement use from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants (n=16686) with mortality figures from 2015.
After adjusting for an array of potential confounding factors - such as age, sex, education, smoking, and physical activity - they found that respondents who took glucosamine/chondroitin for at least a year had a 27% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, and a 58% reduction in cardiovascular mortality specifically. This lines up with previous studies, including one in the UK which found a 15% reduced risk of cardiovascular events in glucosamine users, and an analysis in Washington state that found a 20% reduction in all-cause mortality associated with glucosamine use. To learn more about potential underlying mechanisms, check out our past interview with Michael Ristow.
🍵 Drinking green tea and coffee may lower risk of death for stroke and heart attack survivors.
Researchers examined data from 46213 participants from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC). Subjects completed questionnaires that included information on demographics, lifestyle, medical history, and diet, and were followed for a median of 18.5 years.
The participants were divided into groups based on their history of heart attack and stroke, and the researchers analyzed both amount and frequency of green tea and coffee consumption in all groups. When compared with those who rarely drank green tea, it was determined that stroke survivors who consumed at least seven cups of green tea daily lowered their risk of all-cause mortality by 62%. Heart attack survivors who drank one cup of coffee a day reduced their risk of all-cause mortality by 22%, compared to those who did not regularly drink coffee.
Question of the Week
🤔 Back in the day, chickens used to be routinely outfitted with tiny spectacles. What was the purpose?
💡 Answer
Podcasts We Loved This Week
- Zeynep Tufekci: To understand this era, you need to think in systems. Via The Ezra Klein Show.
- Julie Andersen: Urolithin A’s potential to prevent and treat neurodegenerative diseases. Via STEM-Talk. (Shameless plug - also check out our own interview with Dr. Andersen on this very subject).
Products We Are Enjoying
Glucosamine
I think most folks out there take glucosamine to prevent or alleviate joint pain. The research is somewhat inconclusive on whether this actually works, however the supplement may have other lesser-known benefits, as shown above in the research highlights. While the mechanisms remain a bit murky, it’s a pretty cheap supplement and easy to find, so it seems like a worthy addition to the longevity toolkit.
